All I Never Wanted
by She-Loved-Too-Easily
Summary: Bella Swan is the not so proud owner of the most boring life in the world, until she meets her new teacher Mr. Cullen, who turns her life around. Too bad she isn’t allowed to fall in love with him... She's stuck in an impossible situation. All Human BxE T
1. Meeting Mr Cullen

_Hey everyone! :D _

_Here it is, new story! :) Alright, first, let's get the annoying disclaimer out of the way:_

**Disclaimer: I'm not Stephenie Meyer, therefore, I don't own Twilight or any of the characters. If I did, I wouldn't be writing fanfiction right now, trust me on this one.**

**And also IMPORTANT, before people start to freak out: As mentioned in chapter one, Bella is in her last year of high school, and eighteen years old, and Edward is twenty-five years old. This story does NOT involve paedophilia, seeing as I'm very much against that, and I sure as hell hope that everyone who lands on this page shares my opinion on this. **

_Glad that's all cleared up! :p _

_Now as for the story: __Please note that this isn't going to be some original masterpiece, it's just something mindless and unoriginal that I decided to write for the sake of writing, because my brain needs a vacation. I'm sure this storyline has already been used a million times, but I hope you guys enjoy the story anyway. ;) _**All human, BxE, Rated T.**

_There will be daily updates the first two weeks, after that, it all depends on my time and inspiration. _

_Here's the first chapter, have fun! :D_

* * *

**Meeting Mr. Cullen**

There was a good chance that I had actually forgotten to wake up this morning. If you asked me, mornings were always the worst part of the day. It was half past eight am, and I was currently sitting in a crowded classroom, waiting for the English teacher to show up. Knowing Mr. Ryan, there was a fairly huge possibility that his highly anticipated breakdown had finally taken place. That teacher was like a time bomb, ready to explode at any second. One of the early signs had been that nasty vein in his forehead that seemed to literally tremble every time he got upset. Not that anyone could blame him of course… being a teacher sounded like a horrible job to me, no wonder they were all stressed to death. The new school year had only started three weeks ago, and most of the teachers who were walking the halls of Forks High already looked worn out.

"Psst, Bella! Are you in the land of the living?" My friend Rosalie Hale, who was sitting next to me, not-so-gently elbowed me in the ribs, and I managed to lift my head up and look at her.

"In the manner of speaking… I'm physically present. But since Mr. Ryan is late again, I'll take it as a sign from above that I deserve ten more minutes of sleep, alright?" I mumbled, resting my head on my arms again.

"You are so not a morning person." Rose stated the obvious.

"As my best friend and roommate, you should know." I agreed.

She smirked knowingly at me before turning her attention back to the bright-orange cell phone in her hands. Texting Emmett, without a doubt. Emmett was Rosalie's latest catch, and I was already wondering how long it would last. Rosalie changed boyfriends the same amount of times that she changed clothes… Which was often, I might add. To be honest, I was sort of hoping that she would keep this one, because Emmett truly was a nice guy, and even though he was a few years older than her, he and Rose made a cute couple. I just had a good feeling about them, unlike with a lot of her other boyfriends. They also had a lot in common, which was a plus. Rose had met Emmett when she'd visited the garage where he worked as a mechanic, to order some parts for her car. You can only imagine Emmett's surprise when the blonde, model-like Rosalie had started a chat about car-mechanics with him; she didn't look like the type of girl who was interested in that sort of stuff.

Rose giggled, interrupting my musings, and she held up the phone in front of my face to share the message that Emmett had just sent her. I shook my head no; cheesy messages exchanged between two lovers who had recently found each other really wasn't what I needed right now. It only reminded me of the fact that _I_ was a total failure when it came to relationships, or dating even…

It wasn't like no one was ever interested in me… If I was completely honest with myself, I had to admit that the real problem was _me_. I had never felt anything serious for a guy, and I thought it was unfair to date someone when I wasn't even remotely interested. The only real date I'd ever had was with a boy named Eric Yorkie. It was years ago and Rose had arranged the date. We were fifteen, and let's say that it didn't work out… Other than that I was frequently asked out by Mike Newton, who was nice guy, but a bit too clingy for my taste. That was the reason I dodged him every time he tried to flirt with me.

Then of course, there was Jacob Black, my own, personal stalker. Well he hadn't always been a stalker, we used to get along fine, we even were close friends… That was until he had confessed his undying love for me when we were sixteen, and he wasn't planning on giving up easily after I had told him that I only liked him as a good friend. No matter how many times I had turned him down, he wouldn't take no for an answer, and it annoyed me to no end.

He was the son of Billy Black, who was a good friend of my father, Charlie, also known as the Chief of Police to the good people of Forks. Of course I had hoped that I would be able to escape Jake's advances when I'd moved in with Rose, who rented a nice apartment here in Forks…

Rosalie's parents had died in a plane crash when she was only six years old, and after that she kept moving from one foster family to another. When she had turned eighteen, she was finally free and she had soon found a place of her own. Rosalie's parents had been filthy rich, so at least money wasn't an issue for her. I still had been living with my dad at the time she had moved to the apartment, and she had suggested that it would be fun if I moved in with her, seeing as she was alone and the apartment was rather spacious. Since I was almost eighteen by then, and Forks was a quiet town, my dad hadn't complained, and I was glad that I had accepted her offer, because living with Rosalie was a lot of fun. Okay… except for the fact that she was a morning person, and I wasn't…

Unfortunately, Jacob wasn't discouraged by the fact that we didn't accidently come across each other anymore when Billy visited Charlie, and he even showed up at our apartment every now and then. Luckily, Rose could be rather scary when she was irritated, so most times it didn't take her long to shoo him.

The frustrating part was, that Jacob really wasn't a bad guy. He was friendly, before he started stalking me that is, and he was considerably good looking. But once again, the problem was me, because I didn't feel anything other than friendship when I was around him. Nothing even close to love. Perhaps there was something wrong with me, maybe my DNA was missing some essential gene that was necessary to get that special feeling of butterflies fluttering around in your stomach…

Too bad, but I guessed that was just me and my life. Everything about my life seemed average… Nothing extremely good ever happened, nothing extremely bad ever happened, no passion, no drama… no nothing. Except for the bad luck that often seemed to follow me around, and the small accidents, nothing ever happened. It was safe and easy, but it could get boring sometimes. Not that it surprised me that I had an average life, I think it was to be expected for a person as average as me. Brown hair, brown eyes, eighteen years old, and proud owner of the most average life in the universe… Okay, skip proud, I often wished that my life was a little more exciting. I tried not to dwell on that thought, though, and as it was, I simply lived with the day. My current goal was surviving my last year of high school, and after that… well I would make that up as I went along.

"Urgh, if he doesn't show up in five minutes, I'm out of here." Rose complained loudly, taking me back to the here and now.

"Yeah, I'm with you." I agreed, suppressing a yawn.

"Wow, it's alive!" She said in mock wonder.

I rolled my eyes at her, searching my brain for a clever remark, when the door flew open.

"Bummer." Rose mumbled under her breath.

It wasn't Mr. Ryan who walked in though, it was principal Greene. Another example of a teacher who was on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Needless to say, it was even harder for him, as he had to helplessly watch everyone of his staff as they left the battlefield one by one, some of them screaming as they went.

"Good morning students." He said in his rough voice. A chain smoker, no doubt about it.

The noisy classroom gradually turned silent, and some students were looking at Mr. Greene now, while others didn't even make an effort to make themselves look like they weren't in an impossibly deep coma.

He cleared his throat before he spoke again. "Well now, your English teacher Mr. Ryan has serious problems with his… health. Therefore, he decided to quit his job as a teacher, in order to get some well deserved rest. He will be replaced by Mr. Cullen, who will take over his classes from now on."

"Ah, fresh meat… I wonder how long this one will last." Rose whispered at me in a conspiratorially tone.

I snorted and nodded in response.

"Good luck, Mr. Cullen!" Mr. Greene said in an official tone, before stepping away from the door and leaving the classroom, making room for the new guy who, from now on, would have to face the daily torture of teaching many misbehaving students.

"Thank you for the introduction, principal Greene." A smooth, velvety voice said.

I think my jaw literally dropped the second he walked in. It reminded me of one of those bad teen movies, where the hot guy walks in, and they do a cheesy slow-motion to make it more impressive. _Holy crow_, that was not a teacher, that was a _god_!

The first thing that caught my attention was his hair; messy, and an unusual color that would be best described as 'bronze'. His skin was very pale, but it didn't look unhealthy, it suited him, and it created a beautiful contrast with his copper locks. And then his eyes… they were a blazing, emerald green. He was wearing casual designer clothes, and he moved gracefully as he walked up to the desk in front of the classroom.

"Your mouth is hanging open." Rose informed me in a mocking tone.

I smacked her arm. "Whatever." I mumbled.

I tried to gather my jumbled thoughts as Mr. Cullen placed a stack of papers on his desk. I swiftly glanced around the room, only to come to the conclusion that most of the females in the room were staring at him with hungry eyes.

What on earth was this guy doing here? He couldn't be very old, looking at his appearance… He should be a movie star, or a male model… or something like that… Why he was wasting his life teaching a bunch of unwilling students, was beyond me. Maybe he just woke up one morning, and decided that it was time to do something useful in order to contribute to society.

He was done fumbling with his papers, and he walked around the desk, casually sitting on the edge.

"Alright class, seeing as this is my first day, I think it would be a good idea if we get to know each other a little better first." He started in a clear, confident voice.

"Oh yes, I would like to get to know you, Mr. Cullen." Jessica Stanley, who was sitting right behind us, whispered almost inaudibly.

It was too far for him to hear it of course, and he continued, seemingly oblivious to all the girls that were ogling him. "Maybe we can do a quick round of introductions. When it's your turn, just tell me your name, age, some basic information... I'll go first."

I sneaked another quick glance at my fellow students, and the girls were still gaping at him like a bunch of zombies. Except for Rose, who was sneakily sending another text message, hiding her cell phone under her desk.

"Alright, my name is Edward Cullen, I'm twenty-five years old and I've lived in the small town of Forks for the biggest part of my life, until I left this place to go to the university of Washington. After I graduated I moved back to Forks, in order to try and find a job here, and live a bit closer to my friends and relatives who are still living here." He summarized.

Oh my god! He had lived in Forks most of his life?! How could I've missed that?

"And it seems I succeeded in finding that job." He added, smiling an uneven smile that made him look even more perfect.

"How come we never saw him before?" I hissed at Rosalie, my eyebrows raised in disbelief.

Rose shrugged, turning her attention back to the screen of her cell phone. "Don't know, don't care."

"Are there any questions?" Mr. Cullen asked, looking around the room.

Everyone turned to look when Lauren Mallory, who was sitting right in front of us, raised her hand.

"Yes?" Mr. Cullen said politely, gesturing for her to proceed.

"Do you have a girlfriend, Mr. Cullen?" She purred.

I rolled my eyes and Rose made a face. "Leave it to Lauren Mallory to open the hunting season." She muttered in annoyance.

"Well, that's a very personal question, don't you think?" He replied, his tone making it clear that he wasn't going to answer her.

"Perhaps…" Lauren said in her sickly sweet voice. "But I don't mind if you want to ask me some _very_ personal questions in return."

Even though I couldn't see it, I could only imagine how she was fluttering her eyelashes at him, trying to be seductive… But I had to admit that I was being a hypocrite, because I was rather curious to hear the answer to her question myself. Urgh, what was I even thinking? Someone this hot definitely had a girlfriend. Or several.

"This is hardly appropriate Miss…" Mr. Cullen threw Lauren a questioning look.

"Mallory, Mr. Cullen." She informed him, nearly purring his name.

"Right, let's end this conversation, Miss Mallory." He simply said, before addressing the class in general. "Okay, we'll start in the front on the left, when it's you turn, tell some things about yourself."

Immediately I zoned out; listening to the introductions of classmates that I'd already known my whole life wasn't that exciting. I vaguely heard Lauren Mallory's introduction, in which she made it clear that she was single at the moment. Something told me she wasn't going to quit chasing after him.

I blocked out the rest of the introductions, shamelessly staring at Mr. Cullen. Or Edward... What an unusual name that was, but again, it suited him. Nothing about him appeared to be average, but everything about him seemed to be perfect… His eyes, his hair, his body… His lips… they looked so soft… and kissable. Oh no, where did that thought come from?

Again it was Rose who woke me up from my daydreaming. "Bella, you're next." She hissed.

I subtly sat straighter, making an effort to look a little more awake. "Young lady with the long, brown hair, you're next." Mr. Cullen said, staring directly at me.

My stomach felt heavy and I swallowed loudly. I couldn't find my voice and I surely must've looked like a deer caught in the headlights of a car.

"Just tell something about yourself." Mr. Cullen encouraged me, smiling that uneven smile, sending my heart in overdrive. This was not helping.

"I- I'm Isabella Swan, though most people call me… Bella." I choked out. "I'm eighteen, my parents are divorced and I used to live with my dad here in Forks, but right now I'm living with Rose… We're sharing her apartment." I added, weakly gesturing to Rose, who was shooting me one of her 'why-are-you-acting-like-a-total-weirdo' looks.

A smile broke across his face. "Really? Isabella? That's a beautiful name…" He mused.

"Yeah… I suppose." Was all I managed to mumble as I felt myself blush at his compliment.

Luckily he moved on to Rose after that, and I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding in.

The round of introductions ended, and Mr. Cullen started to talk about an essay that Mr. Ryan had planned for us before he'd had his breakdown. I couldn't concentrate. All I could do was stare at him. I wanted to slap myself, this was stupid and irrational behavior… Who was I, Lauren Mallory?

The staring continued, until he suddenly called my name… In a rather loud and irritated way, to be exact.

"Miss Swan, I believe I asked you a question, would you mind paying attention?" He asked, staring me down with those green eyes.

Urgh, jerk! Beautiful jerk… but jerk all the same. "I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen." I apologized lamely.

"I'm sure you are… I want to have a little talk with you after class." He replied, before moving on to his next victim.

Have a talk after class? Was I going to get detention? I had never gotten detention in my life! I was a model student… I wasn't with the bad kids who deserved detention… Jerk! One small moment of zoning out, and he was already making me stay after class? Besides, it was his fault that I was unable to pay attention in the first place, I'd never had this problem with good, old Mr. Ryan! I was so going to scrap him from my list of favorite teachers.

The bell rang and Rosalie got up and gathered her stuff, smirking at me. "I bet Lauren Mallory is jealous of you, you've already got yourself detention from Mr. Cullen, you naughty girl." She teased me.

"Funny Rose." I grumbled, sticking out my tongue at her. "And you don't know that, he never mentioned detention, it's probably only a warning."

Rose snorted and took off, following the stream of students who were making their way out of the classroom. I slowly gathered my stuff, trying to put off the dreaded talk with my new English teacher. I could barely form a coherent sentence every time I looked at him, let alone have a normal conversation. This was bad… _Very, very bad._

I picked up my books and slowly walked up to his desk. He was busy sorting out paperwork, but he looked up when I came to a stop in front of him. I had expected his expression to be irritated, or indifferent at the least, but he was smiling at me.

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Cullen?" I asked in a too high voice, eager to get this over with.

"Yes… Just wanted to ask you if you are feeling alright, Miss Swan, you were looking a little out of it during class. And more so than the regular student with a lack of sleep." He said, giving me a concerned glance.

Oh… not a jerk, then… I didn't know what to say, once again I was speechless.

"Look, I'm not asking you to share your life-story, I was just wondering if you have any problems that you want me to take into account… Mr. Ryan didn't leave a note about you, but if something is wrong, medical problems or difficulties with concentrating, or something like that…" He rambled on and on, but I wasn't listening anymore. All I could do was gaze into those green eyes. He was rather close, standing right at the other side of the desk, and I could smell his intoxicating scent. I was completely dazzled.

What was I supposed to say to him? No, nothing's wrong Mr. Cullen, I'm feeling great. No problems when it comes to concentrating, none at all, I'm a hard working student actually! The only reason I'm looking like a moron is because I'm too busy drooling over your hotness... That didn't sound good. At all.

"I- I'm fine, really. No problems… Just suffering from a major headache, I'm not usually like this… And I apologize for not paying attention." I lied quickly when I could talk again, hoping he would buy my pathetic excuse.

His face gradually relaxed, and I was rewarded with another one of his crooked smiles. "Oh, in that case, feel better, Isabella. And I'm counting on you to pay attention tomorrow." He said lightly.

My breathing hitched when his smooth voice said my first name. "Thank you. I will, I promise." I stuttered.

He smiled a heart stopping smile and I nearly collapsed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Swan." His musical voice said.

"Yes… see you, Mr. Cullen." I muttered, grabbing my books tighter and turning around, nearly running out of the classroom.

I slammed the door shut behind me and leaned against it, taking a deep breath. Life hated me. The first time in my life I actually felt attracted to someone, and he was my teacher. I wasn't even _allowed_ to like him, for crying out loud! All I could do was pray that his was only a temporary thing, a small crush that would quickly disappear...

One thing was for sure… this was going to be one long, _long_ last year of high school.

* * *

_Thank you for reading, new update tomorrow. :D_


	2. Doomed

_Hey guys! :D_

_Thank you so much for reviewing__**;**_** Sienna, Gnomegirl13, Thari, x NON SEQUITUR x, Ghostbunnieseatcheese, SnowandRoses24 **_and_** Jm1708!** _:D You people are awesome! *Hands out free, digital cookies* _

_Okay, just to clear this up, since Gnomegirl13 asked a rather important question: Bella is in her last year of high school and eighteen years old, and Edward is twenty-five years old. (It's mentioned in chapter one.) I totally agree that a thirty year old Edward crushing on a fifteen year old Bella would've been gross, but that's not the case here. They're merely two people who are in the wrong situation at the wrong time, and since I have a serious case of happy-ending-syndrome, that situation won't last forever. :p I've also added this to the disclaimer, just in case._

_Alright, we can all move on now people, nobody died. *Pushes everyone past the burning train wreck* Nothing to see here! :p_

_To Thari: You rock girl, therefore, you get a free, digital Mr. Cullen to play with! :D_

_To Ghostbunnieseatcheese: Lol, I'm afraid no killing will be involved. :p And, love your penname. xD_

_To SnowandRoses24: Cool! When I have time, I'll make sure to check out your story! :)_

_To Jm1708: Lol, I never had a handsome teacher, either, only old, bald, ugly guys. xD This story is clearly not based on personal experiences. ^^"_

_So here's chapter two, enjoy!_

* * *

**Doomed**

The remainder of the day went by in a daze. One moment I was still trying to survive trig class, and the next thing I knew the bell announced that my last class, gym, had already ended. Classes were flying by because I was daydreaming most of the time, something I rarely ever did, up until now…

When Rose and I got home I immediately started to make dinner, grasping every opportunity to keep myself preoccupied, because I had a serious problem at this point… During the day Edward Cullen's face had frequently popped up in my thoughts. Not once, or twice… I was talking about at least ten times. The fact that I was counting was enough for myself to realize how pathetic this was.

"Yo, Bells! You're really out of it today, aren't you?" Rose questioned when she entered the kitchen.

I glanced up from the lasagna I was making, trying to make up a quick excuse. Ah, the headache-excuse! Mr. Cullen… Edward… whatever, _he _had seemed to buy it.

"I'm fine, Rose, really. Just an annoying headache, it will pass." I told her.

"Oh, why don't you let me do the cooking, then?" She asked.

"No! That's alright." I blurted out too quickly, not completely able to keep the horror out of my voice.

Rose was a terrible cook. In the time we'd been living together, she had done one feeble attempt to prepare dinner for us. She had tried to make spaghetti, but the result had been something along the lines of a meat factory that had exploded in a bowl of maggots. It hadn't been a very appetizing sight, and after that, I had offered to do all the cooking for the duration of my stay. I owed her that much, seeing as she was paying most of the rent.

"I should be insulted, but you're absolutely right… I stink at cooking." Rose muttered in defeat. "But you could at least let me help you."

I snorted. "Yeah sure, why don't you slice the vegetables? Even _you _can't mess up slicing vegetables."

"Jeez, thanks for giving me all that credit." She responded sarcastically while she started to search the drawer for a knife.

"Anytime." I replied in a singsong voice, turning my attention back to the lasagna.

xxx

I went to bed early that night, using the headache-excuse one more time. Rose gave me a wary look, but didn't ask any annoying questions, to my relief. Secretly I was hoping that a good night's sleep would help me to get rid of all those disturbing thoughts... Tomorrow I would wake up, and live the rest of my boring life the same way I'd done for years now.

It turned out I was wrong. I tossed and turned for hours, and when I finally slipped into unconsciousness, a certain person kept showing up in my dreams.

When my alarm disturbed a very interesting image of him kissing me, I groaned in irritation. I felt a stab of disappointment when I realized it had been nothing more than a dream, and I loathed myself for it.

I slowly got up, and made my way to the bathroom, hoping that a brief shower would help me to come to my senses. I checked out my reflection in the mirror, coming to the conclusion that I looked like one of the living dead. It would take one hell of a shower to fix this.

Naturally, the shower didn't help… And breakfast didn't help… And Rosalie's cheerful chatter _definitely_ didn't help. I was doomed.

"Still suffering from that headache?" Rose asked suspiciously during breakfast, looking up from her bowl of cornflakes, staring me in the eye in a way that could've made me confess a murder I hadn't even committed.

"No… couldn't sleep." I muttered, subtly looking away.

"Sure." Rose replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "You have twenty-four hours left to voluntarily confess, after that it will be the inquisition." She threatened me.

"I don't have anything to confess." I stated flatly.

"You are incapable of keeping secrets, Bella Swan… Another twenty-four hours and you will crack like an egg." She predicted cheerfully.

"We'll see about that." I said, making a face at her. It was merely bluff of course, she was totally right about me.

"Yes, we will." Rose was smiling smugly, and she sprang up from her chair. "Let's go, we'll be late."

"Right… late." I dumbly repeated her words, slowly getting up.

I didn't want to be late for my first class, I had to make a good impression on Mr. Cullen… Wait, no! I shouldn't care about that… but I felt like I had been brainwashed, all of the sudden he was dominating all of my thoughts. There was one thing I couldn't deny, though, because for the first time in years, I was actually _excited_ to go to school.

Rose drove us to school in her red BMW convertible, and the second we arrived, I caught myself looking for him. I scanned the parking lot like a love-sick teenager, and again I was disgusted with myself.

She found an empty spot to park her car, and the excitement I had felt earlier made place for nervousness. My stomach was feeling rather heavy as we headed in the direction of the English classroom, and Rose was shooting me more of her 'what's-wrong-with-you' looks.

The second I entered the classroom and spotted him, my knees started to shake uncontrollably. _Oh god, get a grip Bella!_ This was ridiculous, I had known him for one day! I had seen him for one stupid hour. How could he already have such a huge effect on me? Sure, it didn't take a rocket scientist to see that he was amazingly good-looking, but still, that didn't give me the right to turn into a brain-dead zombie every time I was in his vicinity.

As I passed him, I pretended to be very busy, reading something in my notebook; anything to keep myself from staring at him. Unfortunately, I didn't get away with it, as he lightly placed his hand on my shoulder to stop me. It startled me and I dropped my books.

"Oh, I'm sorry Miss Swan, I only wanted to ask you if you were feeling better." He apologized in a soft voice.

I had no choice but to look at him now, and I forced a smile onto my face as I stared into his sparkling eyes. "Never better, Mr. Cullen." I tried to sound confident, but failed miserably.

"That's good to hear." Was his simple reply. He smiled that smile that made me melt, and helped me to pick up my books, gently placing the stack in my hands.

"Thanks." I muttered, quickly making my way to my desk.

Rosalie watched me like a hawk as I sat down next to her, but I persistently ignored her. Mr. Cullen started class, and I did my best to pay attention this time. I had to try and avoid drawing attention to myself, or else there was a good chance that he would want another talk.

Rose wasn't helping with the whole paying attention thing, for she placed a small note on my desk, at the same time giving me a glare that said 'ignore this and you're dead'.

I glanced at the wrinkly piece of paper and frowned. _'Are you ready to crack, yet?'_

I rolled my eyes at her as I scribbled a short reply. _'Don't know what you're talking about. Now if you don't mind, I'm trying to pay attention.'_

Rose was very persistent, and she started writing again, passing the note back to me after she was done. _'I'm not retarded you know, I saw the look you gave him…'_

Oh god, was I that obvious? This was bad, I was totally busted. I sighed and did one last, unconvincing attempt to deny everything. _'You're hallucinating, Rose. Now please let me be.'_

She read the note and mouthed 'liar' at me.

I stubbornly turned away from her and resumed my staring at Edward Cullen while he was explaining an assignment, writing some things on the blackboard. For a brief moment, he turned to look at the class and he glanced in my direction. Our eyes locked for a second, causing my stomach to turn. To my relief I must have looked like I was paying attention, since he gave me a nearly invisible smile before he continued his explanation.

English class ended too soon, and I felt another stab of disappointment… twenty-four hours until I would see him again. Boy was I pathetic, maybe it was time to see a shrink, because this was going absolutely nowhere. It was getting worse with the second, and I was at a loss what to do now. I knew perfectly well what the right thing to do would be; I had to ignore this silly little crush and move on with my life… Sadly, that wasn't as easy as it sounded.

xxx

I didn't know how I had survived the rest of my classes, but around three in the afternoon after gym had ended, I found myself in the hallway, repeatedly banging my head against my locker. I had to get him out of my head, no matter the cost.

"Isabella Swan! What the hell are you doing!" Rose shouted in my ear.

I hadn't heard her approaching, and I jumped up in surprise.

"I'm redecorating my locker." I stated sarcastically.

"While at the same time giving yourself a concussion?" She replied, gaping at me in disbelief.

"I guess so…" I mumbled, I was running out of clever remarks.

Rose sighed and slowly shook her head. "Well I have to admit, that dent you're creating does give your locker a special touch." More sarcasm.

"I know!" I said with mock enthusiasm, deliberately ignoring her sarcasm. "Just look at this locker! This locker is sick and tired of disappearing in the crowd! This locker wants to make a statement, it wants to stand out and say: 'Look at me, stupid, identical lockers of Forks High, I have the guts to be different!'"

Rose grabbed my arm and dragged me away from my locker, saving it from my violent attacks. "I think you've already hit your head too many times… So spill, Bella, what is this all about?" She asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

"Alright, stop pushing me!" I all but yelled in frustration. "I'm doomed, Rose! Completely doomed! I have a huge crush on Mr. Cullen, alright, I admit it!" I added in a quieter tone, making sure none of the other students would be able to hear me.

"I knew it!" Rose exclaimed. "I mean, the way you were looking at him… This is amazing!"

I gave her an incredulous scowl. "You think this is amazing? You mean an amazingly big problem!"

Rose shrugged. "It's good to hear that you're finally enthusiastic about a guy after eighteen years, no matter which one it is… I was starting to worry about you girl, I was scared that you weren't capable of falling in love, or something like that. This is solid proof that nothing's wrong with you, you're perfectly healthy!"

I let out an exasperated sigh. "Wonderful, I'm glad that my unwelcome obsession with my English teacher is a relief to you." I was in permanent sarcasm-mode now.

Rosalie gave me an apologetic look. "I'm sorry, okay… It's just, how bad is it, really? He's twenty-five and you're eighteen… it's not the end of the world."

"He's my teacher, Rose!" I hissed at her, trying to keep my voice down. "I'm not even allowed to like him, and doing so much as flirting with him would be considered illegal!"

"So what, you won't be in high school forever… In less than a year, you'll be out of here!" She countered.

I threw my hands up in the air, giving up this pointless discussion. "It's nice that you always try to see the positive side, but it's not helping this time. I mean, come one… Let's say, purely hypothetical, that there's a way around this whole student-teacher situation… There's no way that a god like him would ever fall for a plain girl like me while beautiful girls are throwing themselves at him, not to mention that there is a zero chance that someone like him is still single." I stated sadly.

"If you don't try, you'll never know…" Rose mused, giving me a tiny smile.

I wanted to give her another glare, but after a few seconds of silence I cracked, and smiled back at her, pulling her in for a short hug. "Thanks for grilling me, Rose… It feels good to get this off my chest."

She smirked knowingly. "You're more than welcome. Come on, let's go home..."

xxx

I was sitting at the kitchen table, working on my Spanish homework, while Rose was standing at the sink. She was preparing a salad for dinner, she could handle that much with her serious lack of cooking skills.

I was trying to translate some sentences, when Rose suddenly let out a groan.

"Oh no, not again." She complained.

"Hmm, what? Screwed up the salad?" I asked absentmindedly, looking up from my books.

"No, worse. It's Jacob-time." She announced in a dark voice, glaring out of the window over the sink.

"Urgh no." I groaned. "Let's ignore him and pretend that we're not home."

"Both our cars are parked right in front of the building." Rose pointed out.

"We can still ignore him." I suggested.

"That would be impolite."

"So is stalking me, besides, why would you care?" I challenged her.

The doorbell rang and we exchanged a glance of irritation.

"You're right, I don't care, I'll handle this." She said cheerfully, darting over to the door.

She pressed the red button on the speaker next to the door, and made a face at me. "Hello?" She asked, faking surprise.

"Oh… hi Rosalie." Jake said gruffly, probably remembering his previous encounters with her. "Can I come up?" He sounded uncertain now, and I assumed that he was pretty well aware of the fact that he hardly ever made it past our front door.

"I'm sorry Jacob, we're closed." Rose stated harshly.

I snorted loudly, and Rose stuck out her tongue at the speaker.

"Oh come on, Rosalie, I just want to talk to Bella. Please, let me in, I know she's up there, her truck is parked outside." He tried again.

"Yes, as her personal stalker, you would know." Rose snapped at him. "But for your information, she's taking a bath, she has a major headache and needs to relax, so I would appreciate it if you leave now."

"Fine." Jake huffed. "I'll speak to her tomorrow."

Rose turned off the speaker and laughed out loud.

I grinned at her. "You're good at getting rid of him."

"Yep." She said, popping the P. "The stalker has left the building… At least for today." She added with a grimace.

"Yeah, well that's tomorrow's problem." I said dismissively, getting up from my chair and walking over to the sink, sneaking a glance out of the window.

Jacob was just getting in his car, an old Volkswagen Rabbit. I felt how Rose leaned against the sink next to me, also glancing out of the window.

"Goodbye, Jacob Black… Sure, I'll let you in… the day Santa Clause decides to marry the Easter bunny." She mocked him.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, new update tomorrow! :D_


	3. Good Friend Gone Bad

_Hi there, folks! :D_

_Thank you for the awesome reviews;_ **SuperSayjinPanny, Thari, Lizzy, Ghostbunnieseatcheese, Lil miss bella cullen, Uniqueuchenna, Gnomegirl13, Twilightluver39, Avery Shane, AutumnOtts, Lauren, J5girl31012, She Isn't Here, SnowandRoses24 **_and_** Jm1708!**_ :D You guys rock! _

_Free, digital ice-cream for everyone! And as requested, a stalker-Jacob for Gnomegirl13, and a free, digital Carlisle for Lizzy! :P Welcome back, girl! Also, thanks for the delicious candy, AutumnOtts! I loved the stars, but I'm also a big fan of candy. :p_

_I'm afraid it will take too long to answer everyone, so I will answer some frequently asked questions. xD_

**Q:**_ Will there be an Edward point of view?  
_**A:**_ I'm afraid not, and I'll tell you why: Honestly, I SUCK at Edward point of views. I did a few attempts once, but they all ended up in my digital trashcan. You have to know your boundaries, and I know mine, so I'm going to stick with Bella's point of view for now. xD Also, when it comes to this story; I think it would be considerably less interesting if we already knew what our Mr. Cullen is thinking. ;)_

**Q:**_ How long are the daily updates going to last?  
_**A:**_ I'm trying my best, and there's a good chance that the daily updates will continue after the first two weeks. The thing is, I can't guarantee that right now, and I'm not going to make promises that I can't keep. :p The first fourteen chapters will be daily updates, though, so I think you all have something to look forward to. :p_

_Okay, moving on to chapter 3, have fun!_

* * *

**Good Friend Gone Bad**

The next day, Jacob's promise to pay us another visit was long forgotten, and again I looked forward to another day of school. Rose grasped every opportunity to tease me on the way there, but I was too deep in thought to even hear her lame remarks. I did tell her to shut up as we entered the classroom, and I tried not to stare as I passed him, like I'd done the other day.

Of course I failed, because I _had_ to sneak a glance at him, like the lovesick idiot I was. I had never been the lucky kind, and needless to say, his head snapped up from the book on his desk that he'd been studying, the _second_ I fixed my gaze on him. Our eyes locked and he raised one of his perfect eyebrows, a wary look on his face. I was dying to know what he was thinking; did he know the reason I was staring like a brain-dead person? Just in case, I tried for an apologetic smile, and to my immense surprise I was rewarded with one of his crooked smiles.

He gave me a questioning look and mouthed an inaudible '_Are you alright?_'

Butterflies exploded in my stomach at the sweet gesture and I nodded, while whispering '_Fine_'.

I quickly made my way to my desk, feeling giddy about our little interaction, and ignoring the curious stare that Rosalie was directing at me.

After another hour of shamelessly staring at Edward Cullen, the bell rang, and once again, the familiar feeling of disappointment washed over me. Today was Friday, which meant that I wouldn't be able to see him for two whole days. That thought was rather disturbing, and when Rose and I made our way out of the classroom, each heading for our own class, I tried to suppress my state of depression.

My next class was Spanish, but I hardly even registered what Mrs. Goff was talking about. It was one big blur of words, and none of it made any sense to me. The only reason I noticed that class had ended, was my friend Angela who lightly patted my arm.

"We're allowed to leave now, Bella." She said, giving me a friendly smile and sounding a little amused.

"Oh, yeah, right." I muttered, hastily picking up my books and getting up, following her out of the classroom.

We chatted as we walked from Spanish to our next class, which was trigonometry. It was a nice distraction at first, until Angela accidently brought up a touchy subject.

"Have you seen that new English teacher? He's really good-looking, don't you think?" Angela suddenly asked in a quiet voice.

I groaned in frustration. I hadn't thought about him for at least five minutes, and then she had to bring him up again!

"Good-looking would be putting it mildly." I blurted out before I had a chance to stop myself.

To my relief Angela laughed and nodded in agreement. "I suppose you're right, I was just trying to put it in a subtle way."

We had nearly reached our destination, when I suddenly spotted him, casually leaning against the wall of lockers at the end of the long, nearly empty, hallway. Jacob Black, intently watching me with desperate eyes. I sighed in annoyance, and Angela seemed confused.

"What's wrong? Do you know that guy over there?" She asked as she followed my gaze, cocking her head in Jacob's direction.

"Yeah, I'm afraid I do. Why don't you go ahead, I'll make up an excuse for Mr. Varner." I told her.

"You'll be alright?" She asked me, concerned, cautiously glancing at Jacob.

"Yes, it's fine, I think he just wants to talk to me." I assured her.

She threw one last, wary glance at Jake, before turning around and heading for the classroom. "I'll tell Mr. Varner that you aren't feeling well." She called over her shoulder.

"Thanks, Ang, I owe you."

I slowly walked up to Jacob, cautiously watching him.

"What do you want, Jake?" I asked tiredly.

He shrugged away from the locker he'd been leaning against, and took a few steps toward me. "We need to talk, Bells, and we both know that your 'friend' is never going to let me inside of her apartment." I could clearly hear the quotation marks as he said the word 'friend'.

I shrugged, not even trying to deny it, and came straight to the point. "So you ditched school and came here to talk to me? That does come close to stalking, you know that, right?"

He rolled his eyes. "Is that what Rosalie wants you to think?"

"No, that's what _I_ think, because you keep pushing me. You know my opinion on us becoming more than friends… I can't help how I feel, I only see you as a friend, Jacob. Either you can accept that and we can hang out together, or you should just leave me alone for a while." I summarized my conditions.

He did another step closer to me, and I did a step backwards. "Oh come on, Bella, you're not even giving yourself a _chance_ to love me! If you would only give me a chance to show you how we could be… We'd be perfect together." He argued.

"Maybe… Except for the fact that I don't love you." I said firmly, giving him an apologetic look. "Look, I'm sorry, I truly am… But you can't make me feel something I don't… And honestly, if you keep this up, you will only drive me away further."

"Give me one chance to make you feel something, anything." He was raising his voice now, and it was filled with the same desperation that was evident in his dark eyes.

"You can't, Jake."

He did another step toward me, firmly grabbing my upper arms. "Please, Bells." He pleaded.

I shook my head, but that didn't discourage him. He came closer, and closer, and I kept moving back until I hit the wall of lockers. He leaned in and I struggled in an attempt to free my arms.

"No, please don't." I whispered. "The only thing you'll succeed in, would be ruining our friendship."

"Stop fighting your feelings for me." He stubbornly replied, leaning in a little more.

At this point he seemed determined to kiss me and I roughly tried to yank my arms free, but he was much stronger than I was and it was no use; I didn't stand a chance. He had pushed me up against the locker, using his full weight to keep me in place, and I saw no possibility to escape. No one could help me, since most classes had already started, which meant the hallway was deserted. The expression on Jacob's face was unfamiliar to me, and he looked nothing like the friendly, warm Jacob I knew… It was scaring the heck out of me.

"Let me go!" I said, louder this time, hoping that someone was around to hear me. Where was good old Mr. Johnson, the janitor, when you needed him?

"It'll be okay, Bella." Jacob said softly, leaning in to close the small distance that was left between us.

"No, don't!" I whimpered, for some reason I was unable to produce a louder sound.

He ignored my plea, but before he could make the final move, a furious voice echoed across the empty hallway.

"I believe she said 'no'." The angry, but still beautiful, voice said.

Jacob flinched, letting go of me in an instant, and I used the opportunity to push him away. I looked past him to see Edward Cullen who was gracefully walking in our direction, a furious look on his flawless face. My heart was violently pounding in my chest, and I gasped for air.

"Bella, is everything alright? What did he do to you?" Edward asked when he reached us, his penetrating stare never leaving Jacob as he talked to me in a strained voice.

"It's- It's fine… He didn't… do anything, yet." I mumbled.

"Good." Edward said curtly.

I was shaking uncontrollably and he must've noticed, for he reached out his hand to me, still not looking away from Jacob. I hesitantly took it, and automatically his thumb started to rub small circles on the back of my hand. His hand felt smooth, and warm, and despite the horror that was still coursing through my veins thanks to Jacob's actions, the butterflies immediately returned in full force. It was unbelievable how I instantly felt safe and protected now that he was here.

"Your name?" Edward snapped at Jacob, not bothering to be polite.

"I don't think that's any of your business." Jacob retorted.

"I think it is, I'm a teacher; and I think it's time for you to pay a visit to Principal Greene." Edward threatened.

Jacob snorted, grinning smugly at him. "I don't even go to this school."

"Even better." Edward responded abruptly. "In that case, I think it would be wise for you to leave school property right now, before I inform the police."

"Yeah… sure, sure." Jacob said dismissively, briefly scowling at Edward before turning to me, giving me a pleading look. "Please Bells, stop fighting your feelings, think about us..."

I was done with him, and I simply turned my head away, knowing it was useless to try and convince him of something that was already right in front of his face; The fact that I didn't love him in the way he wanted me to.

I heard his heavy footsteps as he headed for the nearest exit and I sighed in relief when I heard a door slam shut.

Edward turned to face me, an incredulous look on his pretty face. "Who was he?"

I bit my lip and shrugged. "He… Jacob… used to be my friend…" I managed to say.

"But he's not anymore." Edward stated, rather than asked.

I shook my head. "Not really… not since he told me he liked me as more than a friend."

"And you don't return his feelings." Again it was a statement, not a question.

"No, I don't… But he's having some trouble accepting that... He keeps following me around. I've tried to hang out with him a couple of times, just as friends, but he keeps doing things that make me uncomfortable." I explained. "And I'm feeling horrible because it has to be this way… we used to get along so well… I wish that things could go back to how they used to be." I added, sadness coming over me as I remembered all the fun stuff we had done together when we were younger.

Edward never took his eyes away from me, and he lightly squeezed my hand. "I'm sorry." He said in a gentle voice.

I stared into his green eyes for a moment, until I realized what I'd just told him. "Oh, god, _I'm_ sorry. I don't even know why I'm bothering you with all this." I apologized.

"You're not bothering me, Bella, not at all." He said, giving my hand another light squeeze.

It wasn't until now that it occurred to me that I was still clinging to his hand like my life depended on it, and I swiftly snatched back my hand.

"S-sorry." I mumbled. "I was a little… upset."

"You have every right to be upset… Hey, do you want me to call the police?" He asked.

"No!" I exclaimed.

Edward appeared to be surprised by my reaction, but didn't push me further. "It's alright, I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to… I just thought that maybe you wanted to stop him from doing it again."

I pressed my lips into a line, nervously twisting and untwisting my fingers. "It's just… he used to be my friend. Turning him in feels… wrong." I admitted.

"That's understandable." He said after a short silence. "But please promise me that you'll look after yourself… And if he's bothering you again and you don't want to tell anyone… please warn me, alright?"

It was as if he was sincerely worried about me, and it made my heart melt. Too bad that there was an annoying voice in my head, yelling at me that he was only doing his duty as a teacher, but it felt comforting all the same.

"Thank you, Mr. Cullen… I should go… I'm late for trig."

"Yes… you're welcome. Are you sure you're feeling well enough to go back to class?" He murmured, gazing at me, the same way I was gazing at him. Although in his case, I couldn't understand his motivations...

I cracked a tiny smile and picked up the books that I had dropped on the floor without even noticing it.

"I'll manage, I'll see you later, Mr. Cullen." I said as a goodbye.

He sighed and ran his hand through his already messy hair. "Just say Edward outside of class, please. Mr. Cullen is my father… it makes me feel… old. I'm not that old…" He said, the last part more to himself than me.

I couldn't keep in a short laugh at his semi-frustrated tone. "No, twenty-five is not that old." I assured him.

He shot me another one of his breathtaking smiles, and I grinned at him as I resumed my way to trig class.

I had a lot of mixed feelings at the moment; I was genuinely happy because my extraordinarily handsome teacher appeared to be as nice on the inside as he was on the outside, but on the other hand, I felt miserable because one of my best friends had turned out to be a jerk who couldn't keep his hands to himself…

At least I had a few hours left to think about what I should tell Rose… Hiding things from her was nothing but impossible, so I would have to tell her about the whole Jacob-thing…

xxx

"That mongrel did what?!" Rose yelled, throwing her sandwich back onto her lunch tray.

"Shhht." I hissed. "Nothing happened, really. Edward… I mean Mr. Cullen, was there to save the day." I added in a mocking tone.

Rose snorted. "Figures, he could save the damsel in distress, this sounds like a cheap movie."

I made a face at her. "This is my life we're talking about, thank you very much."

"Yeah… sorry. So, you're sure that you don't want to press charges?" Rose checked for the third time.

"Positive… we used to be friends! Besides, my dad and Jacob's father are close friends, what am I supposed to say?"

"You could at least tell Charlie that Jacob is behaving… unusual. You know what I mean… not talking to him as the Chief of Police but as a dad… He could talk to Jacob's father, who could have a word with Jacob. This can't go on like this, your hero won't always be there to save you, and if Jacob is determined to cause trouble, I can't stop him either." Rose said, bringing me back to the real world.

She was right, I had to do something, Jacob's behavior wasn't appropriate. I had never led him on, and I'd made it clear from the beginning that we could never be more than friends. If he wanted to keep pushing me, it was time that I guarded myself against his evil practices.

"You know what, you're absolutely right, Rose… In fact, I think I'm going to see Charlie tonight."

She nodded approvingly. "Good girl, just tell him that Jacob is making you uncomfortable… It's only the truth."

"Yeah… I think I'm going to join my dad for dinner tonight, if that's alright with you." I said, giving Rose the puppy eyes. "His cooking skills are similar to yours, so it would be a good thing for him to have a nice, home cooked meal for once."

"Sure, I'll survive, I'll just make a sandwich." She replied, winking at me. "So… Mr. Cullen was nice, huh?" She added in a conversational tone, abruptly changing the subject.

I rolled my eyes. "He's a teacher, Rose! It's his job to handle situations like this one."

"Yes, and holding your hand is also in his job description." She responded sarcastically, raising her eyebrows, challenging me to object to her statement.

"He was comforting an upset student." I muttered.

"If you say so." Rose sang in a high voice.

"Yes, I say so." I simply said, telling her that this discussion was over. Although I couldn't deny that a small part of me was hoping that she was right…

* * *

_Thank you for reading! New chapter tomorrow. ;)_


	4. Hide Me

_Hey folks! :D_

_Thank you for reviewing; _**Miss Stacy Sea Cullen, Ghostbunnieseatcheese, Lizzy, Jm1708, Gnomegirl13, Sprinter1, Parker Cullen, J5girl31012, Uniqueuchenna, SuperSayjinPanny, Lil miss bella cullen, Avery Shane, x NON SEQUITUR x,****She Isn't Here **_and_** AutumnOtts!**_ :D Thanks for all the nice compliments, you people rock my world! =D _

_And thanks, Lizzy, for the Edward-Cookies. My favorite flavor! :p Thanks AutumnOtts, peanut butter sounds good. :p And also, thanks Lil miss bella cullen for the brownies! I adore brownies. xD So, today there will be free, digital brownies for everyone, and a free, digital Emmet for Lizzy!_

_Okay, there were a few questions:_

_To Gnomegirl13: Yes! Alice will be in this story, she will make her first appearance in chapter nine._

_To J5girl31012: Yes, everything will be written in Bella's point of view._

_To x NON SEQUITUR x: It's explained in chapter one, why Bella and Rose live together. :p Rosalie's parents died when she was very young, and she was sick of foster families. So when she turned eighteen, she found a place of her own. Since Bella's also eighteen, she thinks it is much more fun to live with her best friend than her father, so she's keeping Rose company._

_Alright, new chapter! What can I say… Bella's dreams are very interesting, and also, her bad luck strikes again. xD Have fun!_

* * *

**Hide Me**

Charlie had a big, satisfied grin on his face as he tasted the steak and potatoes that I had made for us tonight. We were both sitting at the old, wooden kitchen table in Charlie's rather undersized kitchen, silently eating our dinner. It felt good to be here again. It had only been a month since I had moved in with Rose, but I had to admit that I did miss my dad sometimes. Luckily he was only a ten minute drive away, but at moments like this one I realized that I didn't nearly pay him enough visits.

When I was almost done eating, I recalled the real reason that had brought on this visit, and I nervously started to push my last potatoes around my plate, trying to think of a way to bring up my problems with Jacob. No matter what, he was the son of Charlie's best friend, and this conversation was going to be awkward, that was for sure.

"It's so good to have you here for a night, Bells, I do miss you." Charlie said when his plate was empty, dragging me out of my thoughts.

I smiled at him. "I miss you too, dad. And I bet you miss my cooking." I teased him.

He laughed and nodded. "Yeah, you bet I do… But Harry Clearwater often invites me over for dinner, and so does Billy, for that matter."

"Good, you do need a good meal every now and then."

"I'm perfectly fine, Bells… And how about you?"

I swallowed loudly. This was it, my chance to tell him about Jake… "I'm fine, dad… Living with Rose is a lot of fun, and school's going great…" _Except for the fact that I'm irrevocably in love with my English teacher_, I mentally added.

Charlie frowned at me, sensing that something was bothering me. "But, there's a… but?"

I sighed and quietly placed my fork on my plate, giving up on eating. "You see… I'm fine, but there's this thing with Jacob and…" I paused, not sure how to continue.

"Thing? What thing?" Charlie encouraged me.

I fumbled with my hair and shrugged. "You know, I really don't want to make a big deal out of this, but Jake is… well, he wants us to be more than friends, and I… don't." I said quietly.

"Oh…" Charlie looked slightly flabbergasted, and I could imagine why; boy-trouble was not his area of expertise. "But I suppose you could just… tell him that?" He said in an uncertain tone after he had recovered himself.

"See that's the problem, dad. I've told him a hundred times, he just can't seem to accept it. He's sort of stalking me at this point, and I'm trying to stay friendly, but today he even came over to Forks High to talk to me… He nearly forced me to kiss him, and if it hadn't been for Edwa… I mean, for the English teacher who happened to see it…" I trailed off, knowing by the look on Charlie's face that he had heard enough.

"I'm going to have a chat with Billy tomorrow." He grumbled, slowly shaking his head.

"That would be great… But I meant what I said earlier, make sure Billy's not too hard on Jake… I do feel sorry for him, it must suck to love someone who doesn't return your feelings." I said, looking down at my plate, hoping that Charlie wouldn't notice the blush that was spreading across my face. I knew all too well how it felt to be in love with someone who didn't see you in that way.

"Don't worry kiddo, I'll be subtle, but I _am_ going to make sure that Jacob keeps his hands to himself." Charlie said in a businesslike voice.

"Thanks, dad."

"Anytime, Bells."

He got up from his chair, and started to clear the table.

"No, that's fine, I've got it, why don't you watch the game, I'll do the dishes." I offered.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely, go watch! I'll join you in a minute." I said, picking up the plates and placing them on the sink.

I cleaned up and when I was done I watched TV with Charlie for a while. Around ten I headed back to the apartment, after promising my dad that I wouldn't wait too long before visiting him again. He assured me that he would talk to Billy, and that thought made me feel better.

Rose was watching some chick flick on TV when I got home, and she asked me a detailed report on the Jacob-situation. She seemed satisfied as I informed her about Charlie's reaction and she nodded in approval.

"Excellent, someone definitely needs to have a talk with Jacob." She said after I had finished my story.

"Yeah… He will probably stay away from me when he knows that Charlie is keeping an eye on him." I agreed.

Rose smiled at me and lightly patted my hand. "It'll be fine."

"I know… So what movie are we watching?" I asked, changing the subject, wanting to forget about Jacob for a while.

She snorted as she turned her attention back to the television. "It's about a girl who falls in love with her teacher."

"Funny, Rose, very funny." I grumbled as I smacked the back of her head.

"Well actually, the girl is an undercover reporter for a newspaper, who's pretending to be a student, it's a cute story." Rose summarized.

I snorted. "Ah, alright, that much I can handle."

I watched the rest of the movie with her, and went to bed early, feeling tired beyond all reason. Where did all this drama come from all of the sudden? When I had wished for my life to be a little more exciting, this certainly hadn't been the kind of excitement that I'd had in mind…

xxx

_My stomach did several flips as I reluctantly glanced up at him, directly looking into his blazing, green eyes. He was standing behind his desk, scowling at me, the look in his beautiful eyes disapproving. _

"_Care to explain to me why you didn't turn in your paper today, Miss Swan?" He scolded me. _

_I bit my lip, unable to find my voice, not sure if it was his beauty or his anger that rendered me speechless. _

_He raised one of his eyebrows as he kept staring at me expectantly, waiting for me to answer. _

"_I- I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen." I finally whispered, turning my attention to the desk that was the only thing separating him from me, escaping his penetrating gaze. _

"_I'm sure you are… And didn't I tell you to call me Edward, Isabella?" He said in his silky voice, causing me to shiver as he spoke my name._

"_Yes… I'm sorry… Edward."_

_His mood shifted, some of the anger seemed to have disappeared, and when I dared to look at him again, a mischievous smile was forming around his lips. To my surprise he slowly started to walk around the desk, never taking his eyes away from me. My heart started to skip some beats as he stopped right in front of me, only keeping a tiny distance between us. _

"_I'm only saying this for your own good, Isabella. Your future is important, and so is doing your homework." He murmured. _

_Speaking was still impossible for me, and all I could do was stare at him. He smirked at me and reached out one of his hands, bringing it up to my face and very lightly stroking along my jaw line. I let out a ragged breath, and his smile grew wider. My brain was screaming at me exactly how wrong this was, but even if I had wanted to stop him, I was unable to move an inch. Other than that, I didn't want him to stop, ever. _

_My eyes widened as he started to lean in, not pausing until his lips were directly at my ear. "Why don't you and I make a deal? Because it's you, I will give you one more day… Can I count on you to turn it in tomorrow?" His warm breath tickled my neck and I was completely surrounded by his alluring scent, it was enough to almost make me collapse. _

"_I- I…" Was all I managed to choke out. _

_I heard his low, musical chuckle. "Was that a yes, Isabella?" He brought his face closer to mine, his nose skimming against my jaw line. _

"_Ye-yes." I stuttered. _

"_Good girl." He purred._

_His next movement made my heart actually stop for a second, for he gently pressed his soft lips against my jaw. _

"_That's what you want, isn't it, Isabella?" He whispered seductively against my skin. _

"_Yes… Edward…" I whimpered, inhaling sharply as he started to kiss his way up to my mouth. _

"_Yes what?" He was teasing me now, pausing right at the corner of my mouth. _

"_Yes, please." I grumbled, getting impatient._

_Again he laughed. "Seeing as you're so kindly asking me." He said, brushing his lips against my bottom lip. _

_I closed my eyes in pleasure, knowing what was going to happen next…_

"BELLA! Wake up!"

I all but growled in frustration as the dream slipped away, and after a long moment I opened my eyes, looking into Rosalie's grinning face.

"Hello, sleepyhead, rise and shine! You promised me you would help with the grocery shopping this morning! It's already half past eleven, get up! Emmett is coming over for dinner tonight, I want to make something special for him… " She rambled. "Well, actually I was sort of hoping that _you _could make something special for the three of us." She added, giving me an apologetic look.

"Your timing sucks, Rose." I groaned.

"Is that a yes?" She asked excitedly, hardly discouraged by my moody reaction.

"Urgh, get out of my sight! Just give me fifteen minutes, alright?" I exclaimed in defeat.

"Thank you, thank you! You're the best friend ever." Rose squealed, skipping out of the room just in time to avoid the pillow I threw at her.

I sat up and rubbed my temples, trying to shake away the dream. That was one hell of a dream… How could something so wrong feel so right? I sighed and got up, suppressing any thoughts about how it had felt when he… _No! Stop it._ I mentally cursed myself as I searched my room for some clothes, getting ready for a long, boring Saturday. At least it would be nice to see Emmett again, I liked him, and he had a talent for making me laugh.

xxx

Around four I was doing some preparations for dinner. I was going to make mushroom risotto, seeing as Rose had told me that it was one of Emmett's favorites. I was currently slicing the mushrooms and I vaguely heard Rosalie who was running around the living room, attacking it with a vacuum cleaner. After a while I heard her turn it off, and a minute later I heard the sound of her cell phone ringing. She sounded irritated as she talked to whoever was on the other end of the line, and when she walked into the kitchen with an exasperated sigh I gave her a questioning look.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

Rose rolled her eyes. "No, this is just typically Emmett, he would forget his own head if it weren't for the fact that it is stuck to the rest of his body." She complained.

"What do you mean?" I asked, puzzled.

She made a face. "He suddenly remembers that one of his old friends was supposed to come over tonight. Apparently he hasn't seen said friend in ages, but now he has moved back to Forks a few weeks ago, or whatever, and Emmett had promised that they would hang out tonight or something, so he wanted to cancel our dinner plans! As if his girlfriend isn't much more important than some old friend." She ranted.

"Aha… Does that mean that I have too much risotto?" I asked dryly.

"No." Rose stated smugly. "It means you'll have to make some extra, I told him to bring his friend. I haven't seen my boyfriend in ages! He's always busy with his job, he's at that garage more than he is at home! Nope, he's not getting out of this one."

I skeptically raised my eyebrows at her. "But we don't even know his friend."

Rose shrugged. "So what, perhaps he's nice, it would be good for you to have a distraction from Jacob and your Mr. Cullen, and you won't have to feel like the fifth wheel tonight."

"Are you trying to set me up with a guy you've never even seen before?" I asked suspiciously, remembering the whole Eric-Yorkie-fiasco.

"No! That's not what I'm saying… Look if it really bothers you that much, I'll call Emmett and we'll call the whole thing off." She replied, making a sad face, using her reversed psychology on me.

I groaned, once again defeated. "Fine! Let them come, what do I care anyway, I'll be working on my trig homework mostly, or I will seriously fail trig class this year."

Rose grinned and gave me a quick hug. "I did mention that you're the best friend in the whole world, right?"

"Yeah, yeah." I muttered dismissively, turning my attention back to the mushrooms, slicing a few extra.

xxx

Around six I was trying to figure out a difficult trig problem, my books spread across the kitchen table. Everything for tonight's dinner was prepared, and it would only take me ten minutes to finish the risotto when our guests arrived.

Rose was setting the dining table in the living room, and she occasionally darted in and out of the kitchen. She was just grabbing a stack of plates when the sound of an engine outside made her glance out of the small window over the sink.

"Ah, it's Emmett's jeep! They're here." She announced, picking up the plates and sprinting back into the living room.

I frowned, giving up on my trig homework for the moment, getting up in order to help Rose with finishing the table, seeing as they were already here. Of course my curiosity got the best of me, and I swiftly sneaked a glance out of the window, like Rose had done. Maybe she was right, it would be a good distraction to meet some new people...

I watched indifferently as Emmett got out of the driver's side, but when the passenger door opened I think I wanted nothing more than to _die_. Or maybe a bunch of aliens could show up, to kidnap me and take me to another galaxy… I would recognize that tousled, bronze hair _anywhere_. If there had been any doubt left that I was doomed, it was definitely gone by now. I was _doomed_.

How much bad luck could one person have? Why did Emmett's long forgotten friend have to be none other than _Edward Cullen_? Of course it made sense, they had both lived in Forks for most of their lives, and Emmett was twenty-three, only two years younger than Edward…

The bell rang and I ran into the living room.

"Stop!" I yelled hysterically at Rose, who was about to press the green button next to the front door.

She gaped at me, I was surely looking like a lunatic. "Stop what?"

"The door! Don't open it! Look who he brought, Rose! Do you have any idea who he brought?! Edward Cullen, that's who he brought!" I rambled in a rush of panic.

Rose was momentarily stunned, not coming up with one of her usual, clever remarks. "Are you for real?" She asked after a short moment of silence.

I feverishly waved my hands at my rather flustered appearance. "Do I look like I'm joking? I can't talk to him! Literally! I nearly faint when he's merely looking at me. Hide me, Rose!"

Rose burst out in laughter, and I scowled at her. "What's so funny?" I demanded.

She tried to calm me down with one of her pep talks. "Will you listen to yourself? You want me to hide you? What are you, five years old? You're an adult, Bella, just talk to him! And if there's truly something there between you and him, it might even be good for the two of you to get to know each other outside of school."

"Whatever, Rose. I'll be in the kitchen, finishing my trig homework, just keep him in the living room for as long as possible… I need some time to recover first so I can manage to keep breathing during dinner!" I squeaked in a voice that sounded very unlike mine.

"Coward." Rose muttered under her breath. "I'm going to open the door now, so start hiding." She warned me in a louder tone.

"Thanks for all your help." I retorted sarcastically as I made my escape to the kitchen, firmly closing the door that led to the living room.

I sighed as I let myself fall down into one of the chairs, resting my head in my hands, concentrating on breathing. I could do this… After all, this was what I wanted, right? I wanted to be around Edward… I just had to stop acting like a lovesick teenager…

* * *

_The movie mentioned in this chapter does actually exist, it's 'Never Been Kissed' with Drew Barrymore._

_Thanks for reading, and I'll see you guys tomorrow! :)_


	5. Helping Hand

_Hey there! :D_

_Thank you for the wonderful reviews; _**Lil miss bella cullen, Avery Shane, Lizzy, Uniqueuchenna, SuperSayjinPanny, Ms DeanWinchester, Sprinter1, Gnomegirl13, x NON SEQUITUR x, Jm1708, Dhampirbina, Lauren, AutumOtts, J5girl31012, Yayayayaya **_and _**Mercyrus!**_ :D You guys are the best!_

_Also thanks for the cake, Lil miss bella cullen, thanks for the posters, Lizzy, and thank you for the Hershey hugs, AutumnOtts! ;)_

_Everyone gets free, digital chocolate today! :) And also, a Jasper for Lizzy, and I think Lauren would like a free, digital Edward instead of chocolate. ;)_

_Okay, questions:_

_To SuperSayjinPanny: Yes, Carlisle and Esme are Edward's parents, and you guessed right, Alice is his sister. ;) She will show up later._

_To Jm1708: Lol, nice theory! xD But in this case, your friend is wrong. :p Edward is just as oblivious as Bella, and also, Emmett and Rose both have nothing to do with this. xD It really was a coincidence. _

_So that's it for my babbling, moving on to chapter five!_

* * *

**Helping Hand**

My heart was pounding in my throat. I could hear the voices that were coming from the living room, his mesmerizing voice standing out from the others. Or maybe it was just me, and the fact that I'd already become attuned to the sound of his voice… It was scary how he had succeeded in crawling under my skin in such a short amount of time.

I took another deep breath, turning my attention to my workbook. _Focus Bella, it's just you, and your trigonometry books… You won't have to face him until dinner starts… _I kept repeating the words in my head over and over again. When I was somewhat able to think straight, I completely focused on one of the easier trig assignments.

My plan to distract myself seemed to be working, and I gradually started to relax. For a moment I felt hope… That was _until_ the kitchen door flew open, and I was greeted by his glorious face. I could only gape at him and I was desperately thinking of something intelligent to say, or anything at all to say, for that matter… And then the cheater threw in a crooked smile, effectively shattering the few remaining coherent thoughts in my brain.

I couldn't speak, and other than that, I didn't know what to say. The only thing I wanted to do right now, was march into that living room, and kill my ex-best friend. Rosalie was going to be so dead as soon as Emmett and Edward were out of here.

He ended the silence. "Hello, Bella. Rosalie told me you were here, she said you might need some help with your homework." He said, the smile never wavering.

I groaned in annoyance. Sure, I could understand that Rosalie wanted some alone-time with Emmett, but this was like stabbing your best friend in the back! _Die Rosalie, die!_

"It's fine, I'll… figure it out." I muttered, fighting to keep my voice steady.

"Oh… Are you sure? I mean trig is not exactly my subject, but I was rather good at it when I was still in high school myself." His voice sounded persuasive, and he used those pretty eyes to smolder me.

I bit my lip, glancing down at my homework, deliberating. There still were some pretty difficult assignments left, and a little help would be very welcome… And then of course there was that voice in my head again, screaming at me that it would be amazing to spend some time with him…

"You don't mind?" I asked quietly.

His smile turned wider, if that were even possible. "Not at all."

"Thanks." I mumbled.

Without hesitating, he sat down on the chair next to me, and I immediately realized that this had been a big mistake. My heart was threatening to burst out of my chest, and the sweet scent that surrounded me made my head swim. This was bad, how was I supposed to concentrate now?

"Which assignment are you working on?" He asked, reaching out to get my textbook, which was lying at the other end of the table. For a moment he was so close that I could feel the warmth that he was radiating.

"This one." I said, pointing it out with my shaking hand.

He gazed at my hand, then looked up at me, and he frowned. "Are you alright?"

Crap, he had noticed it… Of course he had, he wasn't retarded.

"I'm perfectly fine, let's do this." I replied, trying for a light, cheerful tone.

"Okay…" He answered, not truly convinced by my pitiful attempt to sound like a sane person.

Again I pointed out the assignment, this time keeping my hand steady.

He nodded in understanding. "Oh, I see, that's a tough one… I'll try to explain it in an easy way."

Being a teacher, it came as no surprise that Edward was an excellent tutor. Thirty minutes later he had helped me with three assignments, and I was shocked to find out that I _could_ actually talk to him without stuttering, once I had relaxed a little.

"Any more trig problems?" He asked.

"Two more left, but I think I need a break." I admitted.

"I think you deserve a break, you did very well." He complimented me.

"Yeah, and I'm lucky that my best friend has a boyfriend who has a friend who is a teacher." I stated dryly. "Hmm, that doesn't even sound like a sentence anymore."

He laughed lightly, it was that musical sound again. "Makes perfect sense to me… But I guess you're right, it's a small world."

"It is a coincidence... So how did you become friends with Emmett?" I asked. I still had a hard time understanding how I could suddenly have a normal conversation with him, but I wasn't complaining.

"No spectacular story there, we were neighbors, his parents still live next door to my parents." Edward explained. "I've known Emmett since I was five years old."

"That's a long time." I said in awe.

"Yes a really long time, since I'm already old enough to be put in an old people's home." He said sarcastically, feigning hurt.

I snorted and shook my head. "You know that's not what I meant. I know you're not that old. You're old, alright, but not _that_ old." I teased him.

"Wow, thanks for brightening up my day, Bella." He said, humor evident in his voice.

"I'm sorry for making fun of your age, Mr. Cullen." I apologized, making a straight face.

"Oh no, not the Mr. Cullen thing, it makes me feel a hundred years old! Now you've really crossed the line, Miss Swan." He playfully glared at me, and suddenly grabbed my workbook from the table in a swift movement. "I'll take this. I hope you'll have a lot of fun, starting over again."

"That's evil, trig is like torture to me! Give it back." I complained.

"No way, give me one good reason why I should help someone who is making fun of me!" He challenged me, holding the workbook out of my reach.

"I can't help it, you're a teacher, that's what students do, they make fun of their teachers." I informed him in an official tone.

"Is that so?" He asked, raising his eyebrows at me.

"Yes." I stated, at the same time taking him by surprise and launching myself at him, reaching for my beloved workbook.

"Hey, that's not fair!" He exclaimed in astonishment while at the same time trying to keep me from grabbing the book.

The kitchen door opened, and Rose walked in, carrying two empty glasses. She spotted us and she stared at us in shock, her eyes wide.

"I'm sorry… Am I… interrupting something?" She asked tentatively.

I was confused for a second, until I realized that I was half on top of him, holding on to one of his hands to steady myself, my other hand reaching out to the book that he was waving in front of me. I had been too busy chasing after my workbook to be dazzled by his close proximity, but at this point it occurred to me what this must've looked like to Rose, and I blushed ten different shades of red.

"No… He was trying to… steal my trig book." I said weakly, letting go of him and slowly sinking back into my own chair.

Edward let out a short laugh that he tried to turn into a cough. "Yes, we're fine." He said as soon as he had composed himself.

"Alright…" Rose said, giving me a questioning look.

"Yes, we're great… It's already past seven, I'm going to make dinner." I announced, quickly jumping up from my chair and walking over to the sink, avoiding Rosalie's stare.

Rose shrugged. "Okay. Do you need any help with that?"

"I'll help Bella." Edward volunteered before I even had a chance to answer.

Another look of surprise crossed Rosalie's face, but she composed herself. "Ah, well that's settled then." She said cheerfully. I swore I saw her smiling smugly as she made her way back to the living room, but I ignored it. I would deal with her later.

I glanced at Edward who was still sitting at the kitchen table, and I smiled at him. "You can join them if you want, I don't need any help, really. I've prepared everything earlier today." I let him off the hook.

"Oh, well in that case I'll just keep you company." He offered, returning my smile with one of his dazzling smiles.

"That's nice of you." I mumbled.

He smirked as he got up, moved in my direction and casually leaned against the kitchen sink next to me, watching me as I started to work on the risotto.

"I can be nice… Not all teachers are jerks, you know." He told me, using a mock conspiratorially tone.

I looked up at him, and he was rather close, the green in his eyes a light shade of emerald. I briefly had a flashback about the dream I had last night, and I swallowed loudly as I tried not to think about all the things that dream-Edward had done to me…

I found my voice again and managed to answer him. "Oh I know… It's just… a bit weird. And to be honest, you hardly look like the type of guy who has a dream of becoming a teacher, why did you even become a teacher in the first place?" I asked curiously, hoping I wasn't being too bold.

To my relief he laughed, so I guessed that he didn't mind. "You're right, becoming a teacher wasn't my first goal." He admitted.

"Oh, then what did you want to do?"

He seemed to be in thought for a second, but answered me anyway. "When I was younger, I considered making music as a career…"

"Really?" I asked, surprised. "So do you… sing? Or play in a band?"

"No… I suppose I could tell you, but first you have to promise me that you won't laugh." He said seriously.

"You can tell me, I won't laugh… I mean we're talking about music, how bad could it be?" I encouraged him.

"Alright then… I play the piano. But I'm sure you can understand that it's hard to make it in the music business, that's why I decided to pick another, more steady career." He confessed, smirking at me, as if he was daring me to laugh at him.

I didn't even feel the slightest urge to laugh, I thought it was pretty cool. "What's wrong with playing the piano? I like to listen to some classical music every once in a while." I told him honestly.

"You do? Are you sure you're eighteen?" He said in a teasing tone.

"Yes, last time I checked… Are you sure you're twenty-five?" I mocked him.

He chuckled. "No, I'm actually a hundred-and-ten, but let's keep that a secret between you and me."

"I'll take it to the grave." I swore, laughing with him.

It was amazing how easy it was to talk to him now, and I was feeling light and happy for a minute… Until I thought about the beautiful girlfriend that was surely waiting for him at home. And until I recalled the fact that I wasn't even allowed to like him in the first place… Being around him outside of school only made things more complicated. Right now we were simply an eighteen-year-old and a twenty-five-year-old, hanging out together. Looking at it that way, being in love with him didn't seem wrong at all. Not that he would ever see me as anything other than one of his students…

"Bella? I think the food's ready." Edward hinted, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Oh… yes." I blurted out, taking the risotto from the stove. "Come on, let's join the lovebirds."

The second we entered the living room, Emmett let out a loud whistle. Rose shut him up by violently smacking the back of his head, but that didn't keep Emmett from grinning like a maniac. I was sure that he looked rather scary to people who didn't know him, but despite his huge, bulky appearance, he only reminded me of a big, friendly, teddy bear.

"What have you two been up to?" He asked bluntly, suggestively wiggling his eyebrows at us.

I childishly stuck out my tongue at him. "If you must know, we solved some very steamy trig problems, Emmett."

"Yeah, I'm still shaking from that last assignment." Edward backed me up, dismissively rolling his eyes at his friend.

"I knew it!" Emmett said, triumphant.

"You're a nutcase, Emmett! You could be a little nicer to the person who has prepared a delicious dinner for you! And also to the person who has been your friend for the biggest part of your life, for that matter." I pointed out as I placed the bowl with risotto on the table.

"I'm sorry, guys. I couldn't resist." He said, giving us his most innocent look.

I sighed and shook my head as I sat down across from Rose, watching Edward from the corner of my eye as he followed my example, sitting down next to me, across from Emmett.

The conversation flowed freely while we ate our dinner, and the mood was light. Rosalie did throw suspicious glances at me and Edward the entire time, her eyes shooting questions at me every time I caught her looking.

The evening flew by, and not one second of it had been nerve-racking like I had expected it to be when I'd first found out that Edward was coming along. I almost felt disappointed, instead of relieved, when he and Emmett were getting ready to leave.

Edward and I were standing at the front door, while Rose and Emmett were saying a very… intimate goodbye, back in the living room.

"They should get a room." I muttered at Edward.

"I think they just did." He stated, grinning and cocking his head to the side.

I snorted. "Yeah, I suppose."

"So… I guess I'll be seeing you later, Miss Swan." He said in his playful tone, giving me his most charming smile.

"Yes, Monday." I said, trying my best not to sound overexcited.

"Monday." He repeated, for some reason he didn't sound as cheerful as he had a minute ago.

His next movement literally stopped my already misbehaving heart. He gently took my right hand in his, bringing it up to his face and very lightly pressing a kiss against my knuckles.

"Until then, Bella." He said softly, releasing my hand.

I was momentarily stunned, but eventually my heart restarted itself, and I smiled at him, giving up on hiding my flustered face from him. "Bye, Edward…"

The next thing I knew Emmett barged past us, out of the door, totally oblivious to what had just taken place between Edward and I.

"See you later, little sis! Your risotto is to die for!" He said, ruffling my hair as he headed for the stairs.

I laughed. "Thanks! See you later, Em."

Rose came to stand next to me, and we both waved them goodbye as they walked down the stairs, to the exit of our building.

As soon as they were out of sight, Rose grabbed my shoulders and dragged me inside without saying a word. She pushed me in the direction of the couch, sitting down and pulling me with her. She turned her full attention to me, a determined look on her face. My biggest fear would soon become reality… she was in _cross-examination-mode_. The Spanish Inquisition was nothing compared to this.

"Spill!" She shouted excitedly.

* * *

_That's it for today, thanks for reading! :D New update tomorrow._


	6. Competition

_Hey dear readers! :D_

_Thanks for taking the time to review; _**Lizzy, Ghostbunnieseatcheese, SnowandRoses24, Jm1708, SuperSayjinPanny, Lil miss bella cullen, Gnomegirl13, J5girl31012, HiddenInTheWords, AutumnOtts, Avery Shane, Danifaith12345, Miss Stacy Sea Cullen, x NON SEQUITUR x, Dhampirbina, Lauren**_ and _**Sprinter1**_! :D You people truly make my day!_

_And thanks for the Tshirt, SnowandRoses24! I'm also a big fan of clothes, so I don't think it's weird. xD (Can I have purple flowers for the design? I'm a size M. Thank you. Lol. xD) Thanks for the Jelly-tots, Lil miss bella cullen and thanks for the M&M's, AutumnOtts!_

_Free, digital hugs for all of you! And a free snowday + Edward for Lizzy! :p (By the way, yes, I totally think you're mad! :O James is sooo not a good guy. Lol.) xD_

_To Dhampirbina: You're welcome. ;) I always mention all my reviewers when I upload a new chapter, because personally I think it's the least I can do to thank you all for the support!_

_Okay chapter six… Everyone is going to hate me after this, so I'm going to hide in my secret cave now. ^^" If it's any consolation, things will be a lot better tomorrow, when I put up chapter seven. :p (That was a pitiful attempt to save my own butt.) _

* * *

**Competition**

I spilled. Boy did I spill. That was to say; Rose pulled everything out of me, to the very last detail. After she was done grilling me, there was a huge grin on her face.

"I can't believe he kissed your hand!" She exclaimed. "Honestly, who does that, nowadays? The only men who kiss hands are playing in those outdated, romantic movies you love so much."

I ignored the insult, and went along with Rosalie's enthusiasm. "I know, he's too perfect." I said dreamily. "Which is wrong… I can't like him Rose." I added, suddenly panicking when I realized what I'd just said.

"You can't like him? Isn't it a little too late for that?" She asked dryly.

I sighed, knowing perfectly well how right she was. "I have a serious problem, Rose." I stated, defeat washing over me. I needed to solve this rather huge problem, but I was at a loss how.

She sensed that my giddy mood had vanished abruptly, and her expression turned serious, matching mine. "So you like him? And I mean, _really_ like him?" She asked after a short moment of silence.

"Yes, Rose… I've never felt like this in my life. Tonight was amazing… He's sweet, and smart, and fun to be with." I replied, not even ashamed anymore to say it out loud. "But it doesn't matter, he's still my teacher, and he's still the most perfect man in the universe while I am plain jane. Saying that there is even a small chance that he would ever fall for me, would be lying."

Rose raised her eyebrows, looking at me in disbelief. "Are you kidding me, Bella? Haven't you noticed the looks he gave you? Him returning your feelings is the last thing you should worry about."

I snorted loudly at her statement. "Right, you only see things that you _want_ to see, Rose. Edward is so far out of my league that it should be a crime for me to even live in the same town as him."

"He doesn't seem to agree with you." She stubbornly countered. "Maybe you don't have any experience with the whole 'being in love-thing', but I can tell when a guy is head over heels. And trust me, _he _is head over heels, Bella. You should've seen the way he sneakily kept staring at you during dinner."

I briefly freed myself from Rosalie's intense stare, and pretended to be very interested in some commercial that was currently flashing on the screen of the television. Could Rose be right? Was there a possibility that he liked me as much as I liked him? It sounded ridiculous to me, even when Rose said it in her firm, confident voice. He would never see me as more than a student… A student who was a total disaster when it came to trigonometry. On the other hand; why would my best friend lie to me about something as important as this? That didn't make any sense, either, and it only made me more confused.

"Bella?" Rose pulled me out of my thoughts, demanding a response from me.

"You can't be sure, Rose. You can only guess, love isn't an exact science." I reminded her.

It seemed she was defeated for a moment, and she mindlessly stared at the TV like I'd done a minute ago. I was about to break the silence, until suddenly she looked up at me again, her face brightening, her lips turning up into a huge smile, as if she just remembered that she had won a lottery, or something equally exciting.

"_We_ can't be sure… but Emmett can! Edward and he are very close friends, he can subtly ask Edward about his love life without raising suspicion." She said smugly, clearly satisfied with her new plan.

"I don't know if that is such a good idea… What is Emmett supposed to do? He can't bluntly ask Edward whether he likes me or not. Besides, 'Emmett' and 'subtle' is an unlikely combination." I voiced my worries.

Rose sighed in exasperation. "Of course not, not like that! But Emmett can offhandedly ask him if he is seeing anyone at the moment, or interested in someone. That way, maybe he will spill his guts about liking you… or if he does have a girlfriend like you fear, at least you'll know that it's a lost cause."

I briefly considered that, and came to the conclusion that she did have a point. Even if he had a girlfriend, or several, it would be better if I knew, in order to accept the fact that the situation was hopeless. Perhaps it would be easier to move on if I knew that he loved someone else…

"You're right… I want to know if he's seeing someone, at least it beats this stupid insecurity."

"Good!" Rose said, grinning at me. "I'll talk to Emmett about it, the next time I see him…"

xxx

Sunday went by at a deadly slow pace, and I almost felt a strange sort of relief when my annoying alarm clock woke me up on Monday morning. I would see him again in less than two hours, and that thought was enough to nearly make me sing. I was in an uncharacteristically good mood, considering the early time of day, and Rose watched me with amusement as we were getting ready for school.

"Did you become a morning person all of the sudden?" She teased me when we were sitting in her car, on our way to Forks High.

"Something like that, mornings aren't so bad when you really think about it." I played along.

"Yeah, remind me to thank Edward, mornings are much more fun when you aren't cranky and moody." She said, trying to suppress a laugh.

"Maybe I will."

"Who knows, you've already made great progress, you can actually form coherent sentences now when he's around." Rose continued her teasing.

"Yeah yeah, enough fun at my expense." I muttered.

She let out a small snort but shut up after that, and I used the opportunity to let my thoughts drift away to the amazing man who I was going to see again in less than ten minutes. My head was in the clouds and I didn't pay attention to any of my surroundings, until we entered the English classroom. As soon as I walked through the door, all of my senses suddenly became hyperaware, as if my whole body was anticipating his impending closeness.

I didn't bother to try and ignore him this time, instead my eyes were scanning the room for him, and once I spotted him, I noticed that he was looking at me, too. A big grin involuntarily spread across my face, and to my astonishment he returned the smile with about as much enthusiasm as I'd showed him. Before I could think about it any further, he caught me by surprise again, as he winked at me. Did he just _wink_ at me?

Rose caught my arm and squeezed it firmly, a sign that she had seen it, too. If I hadn't already been walking on clouds, I certainly was now.

During the entire class I watched him as he was explaining things to his half-sleeping students. He was wearing a black shirt today, and it contrasted perfectly with his pale skin. It made him look even more divine than usual, and I was fascinated by his every movement.

The most dreaded part of every school day, the end of English class, came all too soon, and my high was wearing off as I followed Rose to the exit of the classroom. I had stalled a bit, and the room was nearly empty, except for Edward, and to my shock, Lauren Mallory, who was standing at his desk. She was talking rather loudly, and from what I could hear she was complaining about some paper.

"Are you coming?" Rose pushed me.

"Yes, sorry." I mumbled, reluctantly removing my eyes from the scene in front of me.

She shut the door behind us and said a short goodbye as she left for Biology.

I was already on my way to Spanish, when I happened to glance at the stack of books I was carrying. My notebook was missing, and I sighed in annoyance as I turned around to go back. This was one of the downsides about walking around like a lovesick zombie.

I hesitated for a moment when I was back at the slightly opened door of the English classroom, wondering if a new class had already started, seeing as I didn't want to interrupt him. But I didn't hear any voices and I needed my notebook, so I tentatively opened the door a little further and stepped inside.

I gasped at the sight in front of me. Edward was sitting behind his desk, and Lauren Mallory was sitting on the edge of it, talking to him in a low voice, leaning rather close to him. I saw how she reached out for him, seductively stroking one of her perfectly-manicured hands through the copper-colored hair that I had wanted to touch for so long. In my state of shock I dropped most of my books. They crashed to the ground with a loud thud, and both Edward and Lauren flinched as they looked up at me.

I turned the color of a tomato, and I quickly gathered my books, not really looking at them.

"Bella?" Edward called as he got up from his chair, sounding concerned.

Lauren stayed in the same position on his desk, completely ignoring my presence.

"I'm sorry, never mind me, I just came to pick up my notebook. By all means go ahead with whatever it is you guys were doing. I won't tell anyone." I rambled, doing everything I could to keep the hurt out of my voice and sound indifferent.

I swiftly snatched my notebook from my desk, and all but sprinted to the exit.

"No, Bella, wait!" Edward exclaimed.

I ran out of the classroom, nearly bumping into a group of students who were about to come in for their next class. I kept running until I reached the closed door of the Spanish classroom. My breathing was ragged and I briefly deliberated, before turning around, determinedly walking through the halls of Forks High. Spanish was the last thing I needed right now… What I needed was my best friend.

xxx

I stared at the closed door in front of me and took a deep breath before firmly tapping against it.

"Come in." Mr. Banner's voice sounded at the other side of the door.

I opened the door, and I scanned the Biology classroom for Rose until I spotted her, sitting in one of the back rows of the room.

Mr. Banner gave me a questioning look, and I forced a businesslike smile onto my face. "Sorry to interrupt your class, Mr. Banner, but I'm here to pass a message to Rosalie Hale. Principal Greene wants to see her at his office." It was a miracle that I was able to sound considerably confident while I was on the verge of breaking down.

Rosalie's head snapped up as soon as she heard my voice, and she threw me a wary glance.

"Oh right, yes, go ahead, Miss Hale." Mr. Banner said, dismissively waving his hand at Rosalie.

Rosalie's eyes never left mine as she picked up her books, and it was obvious that she was gathering all her self-control in order to keep herself from blurting out a loud 'what the hell is going on here?' in the middle of the classroom. My whole body was trembling while I waited for Rose to catch up with me, and I was biting my lip in an attempt to stop the tears that were threatening to escape me.

The second I closed the door behind us, I glanced around the hallway, which was nearly empty, and I let out a sigh of relief.

"That was one impressive getaway plan." Rose complimented me, immediately understanding that principal Greene had nothing to do with this. "Now tell me why you felt the need to kidnap me… And why you are looking like hell." She demanded.

I couldn't keep it in any longer, and before I could stop myself, a loud sob escaped me.

"Oh no, sweetie, what happened?" Rose pulled me in for a hug, and all I could do was let out more sobs, while I desperately held on to her.

She sighed and softly rubbed my arm. "I'm afraid we'll have to get out of here first, before Mr. Banner gets suspicious. Come on, let's go outside." She suggested, releasing me and gently leading me to the exit.

As soon as we stepped outside, the cool air washed over me, calming me down a little. Rose guided me to one of the wooden benches, and I realized that I was still shaking as I sat down.

"Please tell me what's wrong, Bella." Rose tried again.

I brushed away some tears and I stared at my hands, which were limply resting in my lap. "Well the good news is, Mr. Cullen doesn't seem to be against the idea of dating his students." I said in a bitter tone.

She looked puzzled. "Explain?"

I shrugged, unwillingly letting out a small, dry sob. "I forgot my notebook, so I went back to his classroom to pick it up… When I came in, Lauren Mallory was all over him…"

"What!" Rosalie exclaimed angrily. "That evil bitch!"

I sniffed but shook my head. "It's not her fault, really. I mean, if he likes her, what can I do? I can't force him to love me, and if he wants Lauren, then so be it."

Rose frowned and pressed her lips into a hard line. "Did he see you?" She asked.

"Yes, I was rather shocked, so I dropped my books, clumsy idiot that I am."

"And how did he react?"

"Shocked." I answered truthfully. "Which is no surprise, I saw something that is considered illegal, he could lose his job if I decide to spill the beans."

"That's true… but still, you can't be sure that he returns her feelings. I mean we all know Lauren, the male she hasn't tried to seduce has yet to be born. She's had her eyes on him from the start, it was only a matter of time before she would strike. I think that there's a likely chance that you simply walked in at the wrong time."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Your endless optimism can only do so much. But thanks for trying." I said, hoping to lighten the mood a little.

Rose remained perfectly serious though, and she wasn't done trying to convince me. "I meant what I said earlier, Bella. I think he truly likes you, and to be honest, he doesn't seem like the type of guy who would fall for someone as shallow and brainless as Lauren."

"It appears he does, and who can blame him? Lauren looks like a model." I pointed out.

She let out a defeated groan, giving up on our little discussion. "You know what? I'm going to see Emmett tonight anyway, he's taking me out to dinner, so I'll grill him about our dearest Mr. Cullen." She said, lightly patting my hand.

"Sure." I mumbled, not exactly caring at the moment.

"Do you want to go home? I'm a master when it comes to writing notes, I can fake the nurse's handwriting." Rose offered, grinning at me.

I let out a short laugh. "No thanks, sitting at home is a bad idea for me right now, I think I'm better off with some distraction."

Rose got up from the bench and shrugged. "Your funeral."

I followed her example, also getting up, and smiled at her. "Thanks for your support." I said sincerely.

"Anytime."

"Oh, and tell Mr. Banner that Principal Greene said hi." I muttered dryly.

We both laughed and Rose shook her head in disapproval. "I'm rubbing off on you, I'm a very bad influence."

"I don't mind." I assured her. "I'll see you at lunch."

"See you at lunch, Bells, and in the meantime, don't worry too much, please."

"I won't." I promised her.

Not that I was sure that I would be able to keep that promise, I was feeling rather miserable... But I would survive, after all, this wasn't the end of the world. Hearts were broken every single day, I would have to endure it, just like all the other people who were suffering from a heartache. I would put up a charade for a few more hours, until I could go home and have another breakdown. Preferably a breakdown that included a lot of Ben & Jerry's.

* * *

_Thanks for reading. *Runs and hides* New update tomorrow. :p_


	7. Visitor

_Hey folks! :D_

_Well what do you know, I'm still alive. :p_

_Thank you for the awesome reviews; _**She Isn't Here, Goldeyedsoul, Jm1708, SuperSayjinPanny, MyBabyBlues, HiddenInTheWords, Lizzy, Lisa, Dhampirbina, J5girl31012, Avery Shane, Gnomegirl13, Ghostbunnieseatcheese, AutumnOtts, Lauren**_ and _**Sprinter1!**_ You guys made me smile! :D _

_And thanks for the year's supply of cookies and muffins, Lizzy, thanks for the fake (FAKE!) contract to own Twilight, Ghostbunnieseatcheese (lol xD), and thanks for the peanut M&M's, AutumnOtts! :D_

_Today everyone gets free Ben&Jerry's, because it suits the chapter! xD_

_To Lisa: You are a very bad employee, but an awesome reviewer. :p In your face, Lisa's boss! xD_

_To J5girl31012: Yeah, I did consider sending out previews, but the thing is, with the daily updates, I really don't have much time to do that. At the moment, my inbox looks like a bomb has exploded in there, and some of my typing monkeys are already threatening to strike. ^^"_

_Alright, new chapter! Have fun!_

* * *

**Visitor**

"And? What do you think?" Rose asked excitedly.

I was sitting on the couch, eating my way through a year's supply of chocolate ice-cream, while she was twirling around in front of me, showing the elegant, red dress she was wearing.

"You look hot, Rose. If Emmett doesn't like this, he's blind." I stated.

"Thank you, thank you! I just love this dress." She gushed as she let herself fall down on the couch next to me.

"It suits you perfectly." I assured her, cracking a tiny smile.

She frowned as she eyed me and my beloved ice-cream. "Are you sure you don't want me to stay with you tonight? I can have dinner with Emmett some other time." She offered for the fifth time this evening.

"No Rose! Go and have fun, alright? I'm just going to sulk here, while I eat more ice-cream and watch Vampire Diaries reruns. I can handle it."

Rose sighed. "Okay then… In that case I have to go, I'm late as it is."

I managed to grin at her. "Yes, what are you still doing here? Emmett is waiting for you!"

Rose got up, and as she searched the room for her purse, the doorbell rang.

I groaned. "Not Jacob again, he's the last thing I want to deal with at the moment." Not that I truly expected him to bother me again, not with Charlie watching his back.

Rose walked up to the speaker and smirked at me. "If it's him, I'll shoo him for you." She pressed the red button and used her businesslike voice. "Hello? Who's there?"

There was a rustling sound, as if someone was taking a deep breath, and Rose and I exchanged a look of confusion.

The confusion only lasted a few seconds, for the next thing I knew a familiar, attractive voice filled the room. "It's Edward… Cullen. I would like to speak to Bella, please." His tone was cautious and Rose gaped at me.

"Just a second." She told him, turning off the speaker, turning to me. "Should I shoo him or let him in? It's up to you."

I dropped my tub of Ben & Jerry's, and gave Rose a bewildered look. "I- I'm not sure."

"It's simple, either you want to talk to him, or you don't. I, for one, don't blame you if you don't feel like talking to him right now." She said dryly.

I nervously played with the spoon that I was still holding, deliberating. Did I want to talk to him? Why would he bother to come over here and talk to me in the first place? Oh, right, he needed me to keep his secret, that's why he was so desperate to talk to me. If I told one of the teachers about him and Lauren, he was toast.

"Well? We can't make him wait forever." Rose pressed.

I sighed dramatically, and threw my hands up in the air. "Fine, let him in, it's not like this day could get any worse."

Rose gave me a sympathetic smile, pressing the green button. "You can come up." She told Edward.

"Thank you, Rosalie." His velvety voice said.

I heard him coming up the stairs and I gave Rose a panicked look.

"It'll work out fine, I'll go now, so you guys can talk in private." She encouraged me. She planted a swift kiss on my cheek before she headed for the door, opening it to let Edward in.

"Hello." Edward greeted her as he passed her.

"Hi." She replied curtly. "I'll see you later, Bella. Take care." She added in a louder voice.

"Bye Rose, have fun tonight." I called after her.

The door slammed shut and I got up from the couch, neglecting my tub of ice-cream and walking up to the front door where Edward was standing, looking a bit uneasy, which was very out of character for him.

"Hi." I muttered, forcing myself to look him in the eye.

"Bella…" He sighed as he spoke my name, and he sounded like a huge weight had just fallen off of his shoulders. His pretty eyes were troubled and the expression on his face looked rather pained.

Regardless, I didn't give myself a chance to be distracted by his perfect face, and I skeptically raised an eyebrow at him. "Edward?" I questioned flatly, basically telling him to get to the point.

"Can we sit down for a minute?" He murmured.

"Sure." I replied, trying for an indifferent tone.

I sat down on the couch, and he followed me, doing the same. He sat rather close to me, and I unsubtly moved away from him, to the other end of the couch.

"Well, you came here to talk, so talk." I was hoping that I didn't sound too unfriendly, but I really couldn't find the motivation to act polite, either.

He warily watched me, and ran his hand through his tousled hair in a swift movement. "What you saw this morning, Bella… That was not…" He trailed off, probably looking for the right words.

I rolled my eyes at him. "I'll save you the trouble, I know why you're here."

He raised those perfect eyebrows in surprise. "You do?"

"Sure… I saw something that I wasn't supposed to see, and now you want me to keep my mouth shut. Don't worry about that, Edward, I won't tell. It's not my goal in life to make my English teacher lose his job, I have better things to do." My tone remained indifferent, dismissive. I made it sound like he wasn't important to me at all, nothing more than one of my high school teachers.

I wasn't usually a good actress, but he seemed to buy it, seeing as he winced a little at my words.

"No Bella, I didn't come here to ask you to keep your mouth shut. I came here to tell you that there is nothing to tell, really. Nothing happened between me and Lauren, and nothing ever will happen between us. When you entered the room this morning, Lauren was throwing herself at me… I thought she was already going too far, sitting on my desk like that, and I was about to tell her to leave when she put her hands on me…" He rambled his explanation.

"Oh…" I mumbled. I wasn't sure what to make of his story. Was he telling the truth? Maybe, but it could also be a trick to save his ass, or rather, save his job.

"I swear I don't have feelings for Lauren… She came up to me after class, claiming that she wanted to talk about that paper that is due tomorrow, and as soon as everyone had left the room, she threw herself at me." He added, his tone indicating that he desperately wanted me to believe him.

I bit my lip, staring down at my hands, avoiding the eyes that managed to melt me every time I gazed into them.

"Please look at me, Bella."

I hesitantly lifted up my head, and I was met by his worried stare.

"If Lauren were the last girl in the world, I still wouldn't want her." He said softly, looking up at me from under those long lashes.

My heart was a stupid traitor, always speeding up at the mere sight of him. No one should be allowed to look this beautiful, I didn't stand a chance when he used his dazzling-powers on me like that... I did wonder why it was so vitally important to him that I believed his story, and that I believed that he wasn't attracted to Lauren. Hadn't I already told him that I wouldn't spread the news?

"Bella?" He whispered, he looked anxious.

"I guess I… believe you." I said quietly, letting him off the hook.

He had sounded sincere… and other than that, it was hard not to believe him when he stared at me with those hypnotic, green eyes.

His soft, kissable lips turned up into a smile, and my heart did some more flips. "Thanks, Bella. That means a lot to me." He said, subtly moving a few inches toward me again.

This time I didn't move away, instead I leaned a little closer to him.

"Anytime." I was nearly whispering.

He was dangerously close now, his minty breath blowing against my face. I was lost in his emerald eyes, and it took me a second to realize what I was doing… And that it was _wrong_. I leaned back, letting out a small cough, breaking the spell. Edward blinked and also sat a bit straighter.

"So…" He started. "We're cool?"

I nodded. "Yeah, I guess we're cool."

He smiled my favorite, uneven smile. "Does that mean that we're friends?" He asked.

I gave him a puzzled look. "Is that even allowed?"

He frowned and quirked one of his eyebrows. "Actually I'm not sure…" He admitted. "But where's the harm in us being friends? I mean it's not like we're… dating." He added, a bit unsure.

I snorted. "No… a teacher and a student dating would be bad." I said, trying to keep my face straight.

"Yeah… bad." He agreed, although it didn't sound very convincing. "But hanging out, that's not bad, right? I mean let's say, purely hypothetical of course, that you wanted me to stay for a while to watch Vampire Diaries reruns with you… surely that wouldn't be a problem… We would just be two people who happen to sit on the same couch, looking at the same flat screen." He continued, throwing in another crooked smile.

I had to laugh at his unsubtle proposal and I smirked at him. "No, I suppose that wouldn't be a problem… Do you want to stay?" I asked, playing along with his little game.

"Only if you want me to stay."

"I want you to stay."

"Good." He said cheerfully. "Let's watch vampires kill people."

"Yes, let's."

I turned up the volume of the television, and we both made ourselves comfortable on the couch. I made sure to keep a reasonable distance between us, even though my whole body was screaming at me to move closer to him.

Just as I was wondering if I was already sitting too close, Edward noticed the tub of ice-cream on the small table in front of us, and a grin spread across his face.

"That's my favorite, are you eating that?" He asked, giving me his most adorable look.

I shook my head. "No, go ahead. I've had enough for a lifetime."

That was all the confirmation he needed in order to attack the tub of ice-cream, and he looked like a small child who had just gotten a shiny, new toy.

"Silly Edward." I muttered.

This morning I had never expected my day to end like this. This morning I had felt like a hole had been punched through my heart, and right now, Edward and I had a great time, watching television, chatting and eating ice-cream. It wasn't tense, it wasn't complicated, and I was completely relaxed, happy to spend some time with him.

Naturally, resisting the temptation to move closer to him was an impossibility for me, and I gradually closed the distance between us, subtly moving closer, inch by inch. Luckily I wasn't the only one to blame, seeing as he was doing the same, every time he thought I wasn't paying attention to him. A small part of my brain was hoping that it meant that Rose could be right… if he didn't want us to be more than friends, why was he also moving closer?

I didn't know how I finally ended up with my head leaning against his shoulder, but he didn't protest, and neither did I.

After a while my eyelids started to droop, but I did a last, feeble attempt to keep my eyes open. I glanced at the TV screen one last time, and recognized the part where Stefan dumped Elena, but eventually I lost the fight against my heavy eyelids…

xxx

A rather bright flash of light startled me, and my eyes fluttered open. I was still half asleep, but my woozy brain vaguely noted that the light was caused by some commercial on TV. I stirred a bit, and I noticed that I was leaning against something soft and comfortable. Something that smelled a lot like Edward, sweet and intoxicating. I was positive that I was still dreaming, not fully awake yet, and I snuggled closer to him, enjoying the dream while it lasted, closing my eyes again.

Slowly, I became aware of the fact that I was getting more and more awake, and I gasped as it occurred to me that this couldn't be a dream.

"Edward…" My slurry voice said.

His musical laugh was the next thing I heard. "Yes Bella, I'm here. But I think I should leave now, it's late, you're tired, and it's a school night." He listed.

I sat up straight, offering him some space and an apology. "Sorry for falling asleep, I must've bored you." I said, blushing heavily.

Edward chuckled. "Not exactly, you're interesting when you sleep, you talk. It's like reading your mind."

My eyes widened in horror as I remembered that annoying habit of mine that Rosalie had often mentioned before. "God no… I didn't say anything embarrassing, did I?"

"Depends… On what you qualify as 'embarrassing'." He mused, giving me a wicked grin.

I groaned, hiding my face in my hands. "I don't think I want to know."

"I suppose you're right, in this case, ignorance is definitely bliss." Edward confirmed, amusement evident in his voice.

"Great, leave it to me to make a fool of myself, even while I'm asleep." I huffed.

"Hmm, no, I don't think you're a fool."

"No, just a nutcase who talks in her sleep." I said in a mock sour tone.

That brought on another small round of laughter, but when it ended he was deadly serious again.

"I mean it, I had a great time tonight, I'm glad I came over to talk to you." He said sincerely.

"Me too."

He was leaning closer again, but I was barely noticing it, only paying attention to his eyes. I also didn't notice that I was doing the same, unconsciously moving my face closer to his. The only reason I became aware that he was a bit _too_ close, was his nose, which was lightly skimming against mine. This had to be it, solid proof that he was attracted to me like I was attracted to him… Or perhaps he was only caught up in the moment, because why on earth would he ever want me?

We both flinched and jumped up when the doorbell rang, and I wasn't sure whether to be relieved or disappointed.

I sprang up from the couch and made my way to the front door, wondering who would visit at this hour.

"Who is this?" I asked as I pressed the red button on the speaker.

"It's me of course, I forgot my key. Let me in, it's cold!" Rosalie whined.

I made a weird face at Edward and he grinned back at me.

"Then you're lucky I'm still awake, girl." I snorted and pushed the green button.

Edward got up from the couch; he was getting ready to leave, making his way over to where I was standing. I heard Rosalie stumbling up the stairs on her ridiculously high heels, and she started to talk the second she walked in.

"That was the most amazing date ever, Emmett really has…" She stopped in the middle of her sentence, as her eyes landed on Edward, who was standing behind me. "Oh god, are you still here? That must've been the longest talk in the history of mankind." She noted in her blunt, no-nonsense way.

"Thank you for pointing that out, Captain Obvious. I'll tell you later." I hissed at her.

Edward looked nothing but amused as he observed our little exchange. "Alright, I think this is my cue to leave, I'll see you guys tomorrow." He said casually.

"Yeah, see ya." Rose muttered as she wobbled to the kitchen on her uncomfortable-looking shoes.

"Goodnight, Edward." I said my goodbye.

"Sweet dreams, Bella." He murmured, bringing his hand up to my face and lightly brushing against my cheek with the back of his long, pale fingers, leaving a burning trail.

"That won't be a problem." I told him honestly.

He smiled one last time at me, before making his way down the stairs. I closed the door, a goofy grin plastered on my face. Oh yes, I would have very, _very_ sweet dreams tonight…

* * *

_The Vampire Diaries, mentioned in this chapter, is a series that does actually exist. Team Stefan for the win! Okay, never mind. *Shuts her pie hole*_

_Thanks for reading, new update tomorrow! :D_


	8. Mood Swings

_Hey my awesome readers! :D_

_Thank you so much for reviewing; _**Lisa, HiddenInTheWords, Dhampirbina, SuperSayjinPenny, JavaJunkie6, Lizzy, TheMonsterUnderYourBed, Lenord the Vampire, Aussiebabbee, Jm1708, Gnomegirl13, Squkymun, J5girl31012, Danifaith12345, Avery Shane, Crazycharl, Sprinter1, Isabella Maria Swan, She Isn't Here, Ghostbunnieseatcheese, Lauren, AutumnOtt,****Rosaa **_and_** Marijne!**_ All your amazing reviews are making me happy! :D_

_Also, thanks for the Cullen house, Lizzy, thanks for the Irn-bru, Lauren and thanks for the boston baked beans, AutumnOtts! :D_

_Since a lot of people seem to like the cookie dough, today everyone gets some more Ben&Jerry's! The cookie dough, of course. ;) And also, another Edward for Lauren! xD_

_I wish I could reply to all of you, but with the writing, daily updating and the rest of my life, I simply don't have the time, so I'm going to answer a few questions at random. _

_To SuperSayjinPanny: Hmm, how do I manage to make you squeal every time? :p I'm not sure, actually I didn't even know that I possessed that talent. :p But anyway, people squealing when they read your story is a good sign, right? xD_

_To Jm1708: Will we find out what Bella said in her sleep? Yes, we will, but not until chapter thirteen. :p_

_To Gnomegirl13: Yes! Vampire Diaries is awesome! You should go watch it! :D_

_To Crazycharl: I'm sorry! :O But on the other hand, the books are nothing like the series, so I don't think I really spoiled the books for you. ;)_

_To Marijne: Omg, dat is inderdaad wel erg toevallig! :O Ik hoop voor jou dat het een Edward look-a-like gaat worden! :p_

_Cool to see that there are so many Team Stefan people here, by the way. Lol. xD Don't get me wrong, I also like Damon, he's a lot of fun, but I think it should be Stefan/Elena, not Damon/Elena._

_And, another question that a lot of you asked: When are they going to get together, and when will that kiss happen? I don't want to give away too much, but at least it will be somewhere before chapter fourteen._

_Okay, enough rambling, chapter eight! Here goes nothing… Where was that cave, again? :p_

* * *

**Mood Swings**

Needless to say, Rose wanted a detailed report on what had happened tonight, and she had a satisfied look on her face when I finished my summary on my night with Edward.

"See, didn't I tell you? It was nothing but one huge misunderstanding. And believe me, that guy _likes you_, big time." She said sternly, giving me no chance to argue.

"Who knows… So, how was dinner with Emmett?" I changed the subject, turning the attention away from my own non-existing love life.

"It was amazing! The best date I've had with Emmett so far. He took me to this really nice and expensive Italian restaurant, and the food was delicious. We had so much fun, Bella… And I know this is going to sound cheesy, but I think he might be… the one, you know what I mean? Not that you can be sure after only six weeks of dating, of course…" She rambled enthusiastically without taking time to breathe.

I smiled at her, happy to see that my best friend was currently in a state of pure bliss. "It doesn't sound that cheesy, who knows, maybe he's the one."

"All I know is that I'm falling more in love with him every day, I've never experienced anything like this with any of the other guys I dated." She said, a dreamy look on her face.

"That's great, not to mention Emmett is a nice guy, and as far as I can see the two of you are a perfect match."

Rose clapped her hands in excitement, a silly grin plastered on her face. "It certainly feels that way. Besides, you get along with him, right? It's a plus that my best friend doesn't have a problem with my boyfriend."

I smirked at her. "Emmett is like the big brother I never had, Rose, no need to worry about that."

She nodded. "I know… He likes you, too, especially your klutzy moments."

"Jeez, nice to know that he enjoys my most embarrassing moments." I said in mock annoyance.

"I was just kidding, he also likes you when you're not embarrassing yourself… Oh, that reminds me, it's Emmett's birthday, Saturday. He's throwing a party and he asked me to invite you." She informed me.

"Great, a party." I grumbled. "You know how much I enjoy a good party." I added in a sarcastic tone.

"Ah, don't be such a party pooper! You're coming to Emmett's party, and that's not a request. You want to know why? Because your Edward will be there!" She told me, a calculating smile on her face.

Oh, yeah, of course Edward would be there, he was Emmett's friend. "I'm sure Edward will survive without me, and he's not mine, Rose." I said tiredly.

"Well he's not anybody else's, either." She replied smugly, wiggling her eyebrows.

My jaw dropped. "You asked Emmett?"

"Yep. Edward Cullen is one hundred percent single." Rosalie announced. "And I told Emmett to subtly find out if Edward's interested in someone, even though it's not exactly necessary, because the guy obviously adores _you_."

"Why don't we let that subject rest for now." I muttered, hinting that I was done talking about it.

"Sure. But you're coming to the party, and that's final."

"Fine!" I exclaimed, giving up.

There was no point in arguing with Rose when she had her mind set on something. I would just have to go to the party, and endure it. There was a chance that it would even be fun, and the fact that Edward was going to be there was a nice bonus…

xxx

I knew something was off, the second I entered the English classroom the next morning. It was becoming a habit, scanning the room for Edward as soon as I came in, to give him a subtle smile. Today was no different, and I gave him a huge grin when I spotted him behind his desk. He gave me a nearly invisible smile in return, but it didn't reach his eyes. For some reason it gave me an eerie feeling, and I was alarmed by his too-serious expression.

I tried to ignore the heavy feeling in my stomach, but every time I gazed at him during the hour, the wary look on his face reminded me that something wasn't right…

My suspicions were confirmed when he suddenly addressed me, near the end of class.

"Miss Swan, I want to have a talk with you after class." He said in his serious-teacher-tone.

"Alright, Mr. Cullen." I managed to choke out.

Some of my fellow students were giving me questioning glances, probably wondering what I'd been up to, seeing as getting detention was very unlike me.

The bell rang and I waited for the rest of the students to leave the room.

"What's going on?" Rose asked curiously as she gathered her stuff.

"I wish I knew." I replied in a low voice.

Rose glanced suspiciously at Edward, then back at me. "I'm afraid you'll find out soon enough, good luck." She tried to comfort me.

I nervously bit my lip as I watched her walk through the door, leaving the room completely empty, except for Edward and I. He was watching me with his intense stare as I reluctantly walked up to his desk.

What was going on? Had he realized that I wanted him as more than a friend, after our almost-kiss last night, and was he mad at me? I couldn't really blame him if that were the case, after all, I was no better than Lauren Mallory. He had to be sick and tired of girls throwing themselves at him, and I was doing exactly that. I wanted him as much as Lauren wanted him… But did he have to look this serious? Because quite frankly it was scaring the shit out of me...

"So, are you going to give me detention, Mr. Cullen?" I joked when I came to a stop in front his desk, making an effort to break the ice.

He sighed, and the expression on his face turned anxious, but I also recognized some anger.

"Or not." I mumbled weakly, slightly intimidated by his stare.

"It's hardly the time for jokes, Bella. I want to talk about something serious." He said it in a harsh tone, but conflict was evident in his eyes, and it almost seemed as if he were mad at himself, rather than at me.

Nevertheless, I flinched at his unfriendly tone, doing my best to keep my voice steady when I spoke again."Oh, talk about what?"

He let out another sigh, and the anger disappeared, making place for… agony, sadness? It was hard to be sure with Edward, this man went from hot to cold and back in less than a second, but he seemed torn, conflicted, as if he were fighting some sort of internal battle.

"Listen, Bella, I hadn't given it much thought earlier, but us being friends is not a good idea. Even if we know better, other people will get the wrong impression… I'm afraid it will only end in trouble for the both of us." He didn't sound angry, or sad, or apologetic, now. More like emotionless.

"You don't want to be friends?" I repeated dumbly.

"This is not about what I want, Bella. This is about your future, my job, our reputations!" I could hear that he was struggling to keep his voice down.

"Yes, because making new friends is an unforgivable crime." I said frostily, disappointment washing over me. "And you know what? You should've thought about that _before_ you asked me to be your friend."

He looked pained, and for the first time I saw a hint of regret on his beautiful face. "I'm sorry, I truly am, but nothing good can ever come from this."

"Alright then, I've heard enough." I said. I wanted to remain calm, but tears were burning behind my eyes and it was hard to fight them.

"I wish things were different, Bella. Believe me, I do." He was whispering, and his eyes were betraying his unhappiness, a sign that he _did_ care for me, if only a little. And there was no point in denying that his words made sense… Edward and I being friends would only cause trouble for the both of us.

I softened up a bit, and I nodded tentatively. "Me too."

To my dismay I felt some moisture dripping down my left cheek, and I blinked feverishly; I didn't want to shed any more tears in front of him.

Being the observant person he was, he wasn't fooled for a second and his face twisted into a mask of anguish. He reached out his hand to me but changed his mind, quickly dropping it again.

"I guess this is it then." I mumbled softly, breaking the silence.

We both looked up as the door of the classroom opened, and a noisy group of students walked in.

"Yes." He said in a bleak voice. "I'm sorry, Miss Swan." I wondered if he was pretending for his other students, or if it would always be Miss Swan from now on.

"It's okay, Mr. Cullen, goodbye." I replied mechanically.

I turned around, never looking back, running out of the classroom. I kept up a steady pace, hoping that I would still be in time for Spanish class. I roughly brushed away my last tears, not planning for the waterworks to start again anytime soon. I had decided that I was not going to break down again. I had cried more than enough tears over this beautiful man who was never meant for me to begin with, and I was done crying. I could live without him, I had managed to do it for the last eighteen years. I would survive.

xxx

"I'm going to kill him!" Rose snapped, getting up from her chair, a determined look on her face. "Or at least yell at him." She added, making a face.

The cafeteria was crowded, and a group of students who were sitting at the table next to us were curiously eyeing Rosalie, without a doubt looking for some new gossip.

"No!" I pleaded, grabbing her wrist to stop her. "Really, don't. He only told me what I knew all along! This can only end in tears… No matter what, I want something from him that he can't give me. Even if he wanted to, he can't, because he would lose his job."

Rose huffed, but calmed down, slowly sinking back into her chair.

"It's not his fault, Rose." I repeated my words, knowing that it was true. He simply didn't have a choice.

"Whatever… It's just, he keeps making my best friend cry, so you can imagine that he's not my favorite person in the world right now." Rose muttered sourly.

I was touched that she cared so much for me, and I succeeded in cracking a smile. "And you're the best friend anyone could ever ask for, but I'm fine, I can handle this, honestly."

She sighed and pressed her lips into a line. "Okay then… But whenever you do feel like talking about it, just know that I'm here."

"Thanks, Rose. And when I'm looking for someone to kick his butt, I promise you'll be the first one I'll call." I joked.

She let out a short laugh. "I'll hold you to that."

My talk with Rosalie had cheered me up a bit, and I felt better when lunch ended. Regardless, an empty, unsettling feeling kept bothering me for the remainder of the day, and I was afraid that it wasn't going to disappear that easily…

xxx

I survived. That is to say I kept breathing. I tried to keep smiling on the outside, but on the inside I felt horrible. I was doing my best not to show Rose, but I don't think she truly bought my little façade. I was passing through days, and my only goal was to try and suppress my misery.

The most painful part were the English classes. He treated me like any other student, like nothing had ever happened between the two of us, and it was slowly killing me. No matter what, I still wasn't able to keep myself from staring at him, and sometimes he caught me. Our eyes would briefly lock, and a few times I thought I saw my own pain reflected in his emerald depths. But I guessed that it was merely what I _wanted_ to see, surely he had gotten over it by now, he would find other 'friends'.

Four days had passed, and I was currently sulking in my room, pretending to be sick. I had a very good reason for that, seeing as it was _Saturday_. Emmett's party was tonight, and there would be a cold day in hell before I went to that party. That's why I was lying on my bed, staring at my ceiling, faking a headache. Not that this would stop Rose from dragging me along anyway. She knew me too well, she would see right through my little act, but the least I could do was try.

There was a small knock on my door.

"Bella?" Rose called.

I groaned in defeat. I was so busted.

"Yes, Rose?" I muttered, annoyed.

She opened the door and strode in, sitting down on the edge of my bed. I reluctantly looked up at her, and saw that she was already dressed for the party.

"You're not ill." She stated, relentlessly breaking through my only defense.

"No, I'm not." I said, knowing that lying was not an option. "But I hope you can understand that I don't feel like going to a party." I added in a pleading tone.

"Please, Bella, it would be good for you to get some distraction, you've been moping around for days."

"That's the problem, Rose. _He_ will be there, so it's hardly a distraction." I pointed out.

She rolled her eyes. "Knowing Emmet it's going to be a crowded party. Besides, Emmett's parents are on a vacation, so the party will be held at their house, which is huge. Avoiding Edward will be a piece of cake there."

"I don't know, Rose…"

"Oh come on! It will be fun, and Emmett is counting on you to be there! You promised!" Rose whined, playing the guilt-card.

I grumbled, knowing that I was losing this argument.

"That means 'yes' in Bella-language, am I right?" Rose asked smugly.

"No." I growled.

"Yes it does." She said in a singsong voice.

"Alright, I'll go! But only for an hour or so! And I'm going to take my own truck, so I can go home whenever I please." I named my conditions.

"Deal! Thank you!" Rose squealed. "Come, we have to get you ready!"

"Oh joy." I said sarcastically.

This was just my luck. Not only would I have to attend a party where I would most likely come across Edward, I would also have to endure at least thirty minutes of Bella-Barbie-time, as Rosalie liked to call it.

One hour, I promised myself. One hour and I would get the hell out of there…

* * *

_Don't hate me, hate Edward! :O I'm sorry guys, but I promise that this is the last time he's being a jerk. Also, it will be explained later in the story why he changed his mind all of the sudden._

_Thank you for reading, new chapter tomorrow! ;) A chapter that I think all of you are going to like very much, I might add._


	9. Party

_Hey guys! :D_

_Yay, I'm still alive, and so is Edward! xD Yeah well, who could be mad at Edward. xD I'm glad that most of you can understand his point of view._

_Thank you for the wonderful reviews; _**SuperSayjinPanny, Lisa, Lizzy, HiddenInTheWords, JillWithTheVampiresx, Rosaa, MareenCullen', Heal my bleeding heart, Dhampirbina, Lauren, Porkkana, Avery Shane, Linek, Roshyvolturi, Porcelain-Shadow, Gnomegirl13, Mrs. Deadpool, J5girl31012, Sprinter1, x NON SEQUITUR x, She Isn't Here, Marijne **_and _**AutumnOtts!**_ Thanks for making my day! :D_

_And of course; Thanks for the Crispy M&M's, SuperSayjinPanny (I love those!), thanks for the Magic beans, HiddenInTheWords, and thanks for the Milk Duds, AutumnOtts! :D *Hands out more free ice-cream to everyone* (Sorry Lizzy, but that kiss isn't going to happen, yet. __So it'll be the ice-cream. :p)_

_To JillWithTheVampiresx: Ja, ik spreek Nederlands, ik ben namelijk stiekem een Nederlander. :p Leuk dat je meeleest, ik vind het altijd zo grappig om andere Nederlandstalige mensen tegen te komen hier. xD_

_To everyone who is wondering; That was Dutch. xD I'm from the Netherlands. _

_To Porcelain-Shadow: Hey, welcome back! :D Nah, flaunting isn't exactly Bella's thing. xD Besides, she thinks that he doesn't want her anymore… :p_

_Okay, more good news! As from now on, I have a Windows-phone. It has Word, and internet everywhere I go, which is good news for you guys, because all those things are going to help me to keep that promise about the first fourteen chapters being daily updates. ;)_

_So here's chapter nine! I think most of you are going to like this, since there are no stay-away-from-me-we-can't-be-together-tantrums here. And also, Alice and Jasper make their first appearance! Have fun!_

* * *

**Party**

I took a deep breath as I turned off the engine of my old, rusty truck. I had parked the vehicle in front of the enormous house that belonged to Emmett's parents, and I observed that Rose hadn't been kidding when she'd told me their place was huge.

The house was located in the middle of the forest, hidden between the trees. I suddenly recalled that Edward had told me that his parents and Emmett's parents were neighbors, but I saw no other buildings as I scanned the area. Not that it surprised me, this was the middle of nowhere, and the Cullen-house was probably hidden somewhere behind the trees and ferns.

I hesitantly got out of the truck, walking up to Rosalie who had parked her shiny BMW next to my old car. There were already about twenty other cars parked in front of the mansion, and I started to wonder exactly _how_ crowded this party was going to be.

"Wow, that is one big house." I stated the obvious.

Rose nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it is pretty impressive. Emmett knows what he's doing, all those people would've never fitted into his pathetic apartment."

"Nope, that would've been a problem."

"Come on, let's go and have fun." Rose said, deliberately annoying me by using her most enthusiastic tone.

"I'm having fun already." I mumbled sarcastically, not meaning for Rosalie to hear it.

"I heard that!"

"Of course you did." I replied tiredly.

We reached the front door and Rose rang the bell. It took Emmett less than thirty seconds to answer the door, and a wide grin spread across his face as soon as he saw us.

"Hey, Rosie! Hey little sis!" He greeted us cheerfully.

His enthusiasm made me laugh and I grinned back at him. He took it as a sign to lift me up and give me a bone-crushing hug.

"Emmett… can't… breathe." I sputtered, seeing as he was suffocating me.

"Em, you're killing her!" Rose cautioned.

"Oops. Sorry, Bells." He mumbled apologetically, placing me back on my own two feet.

"Don't worry about it." I told him, letting out a snort.

Rose rolled her eyes. "He doesn't know his own strength."

"Obviously." I said dryly.

We walked into a large hall, which was nicely decorated in black and white, and I noticed that the interior looked as if it came straight out of a magazine. Not a painting was out of place, and I asked myself the question whether Emmett's parents were informed about this party or not.

Emmett led us to the living room, and I bit my lip when I saw that it was already stuffed with people. Loud music filled the room, and I winced a little as I stepped inside, my ears protesting to the noise.

"Well, drinks and snacks are in the kitchen, awesome people are on the dance floor, and if you need me, I'm around somewhere." Emmett winked at us, he was yelling in order to be heard over the music.

"Thanks! Hey, do you need help with anything?" Rose asked him.

Emmett shrugged. "Nope, I believe everything is taken care of, you girls enjoy yourselves."

I vaguely heard the doorbell again, it was barely audible over the music, and Emmett grinned. "More party-people!" He boomed, before sprinting out of the room to let in the new stream of guests.

"Come on, let's dance, I love this song!" Rose yelled, grabbing my arm and dragging me to the dance floor.

"I can't dance, Rose! Are you trying to kill me?!" I yelled back.

"You're overreacting, the klutz-excuse is getting old! You're not half as clumsy as you think you are." She stated in a final tone, pulling me along.

I groaned but followed her anyway, not that she was giving me much of a choice. I cautiously tried to keep up with Rosalie's wild dance moves, while my eyes were automatically scanning the place for the last person I wanted to see at the moment. I didn't see him anywhere, though, and I had some hope that he had decided to skip this party, in an attempt to avoid me.

I was just starting to relax a little, getting the hang of Rosalie's crazy moves, when I suddenly spotted him. He was standing near the kitchen door, talking to a guy with honey-blonde hair. My plan was to swiftly look away, but it was too late, he had already noticed me.

"Crap." I muttered.

"What was that?" Rose yelled.

"Nothing." I shouted back at her.

"Oh never mind, I see him." She answered loudly, squinting her eyes at Edward.

"Don't look." I warned her.

She shrugged, and resumed her dancing.

I decided to do the same, fully concentrating on copying Rosalie's dance moves; anything to distract myself from him. I continued to do so for at least five songs, all the while systematically keeping my eyes away from the spot near the kitchen where I'd seen him.

My plan was a success, until eventually my throat was killing me, and I needed a drink. I sneakily glanced in the direction of the kitchen, but he was nowhere to be seen. Excellent, at least there was some part of the universe left that wasn't against me.

"I'm going to get a drink." I told Rose in a loud voice. "Do you want something?"

"No I'm fine, you go ahead! Actually I'm going to look for Emmett, I'm sure he's dying to dance with me." Rose said, an evil smirk on her face.

"Poor Emmett." I teased her, quickly making my escape before she could hit me.

I wrestled my way through the crowd, heading for the kitchen.

The kitchen turned out to be as huge and stylish as the rest of the house, and to my relief it was almost deserted, except for a few small groups of people who were quietly talking to each other while enjoying a drink. The music wasn't as loud here, and my ears were practically sighing in relief.

I was searching for some water, when someone placed a hand on my arm, causing me to jump in surprise. I turned around and I was met by a tiny girl with dark, spiky hair. She was grinning widely at me, making me even more confused. Was I supposed to know her?

"Hi! You're Bella, right?" She asked, the smile never leaving her face.

I gaped at her in confusion; I was sure I'd never seen this girl before in my life.

She finally caught on, and apologized.

"Oh I'm sorry, that was rude of me, I'm Alice Cullen, Edward's sister." She introduced herself.

_Shit!_ That was just what I needed. I forced a smile onto my face. "It's nice to meet you, Alice." I said hesitantly. "How do you know who I am?" I added, genuinely interested in hearing the answer to that question.

Alice made an innocent face. "Edward might have mentioned you once… or twice… or a million times." She said in a serious tone.

More gaping on my part. Why would Edward talk about me to his sister? "He did?"

She laughed loudly. "You bet he did. I've heard so much about you, so I wanted to actually meet you in person."

It occurred to me that Edward had never mentioned her, and I nervously played with the bottle of water I was holding. "I'm afraid I can't say the same about you, I'm sorry." I muttered, ashamed.

Alice's reaction was nothing like I had expected, for she merely laughed again. "Don't worry, we're going to do something about that, right now! I want to get to know my future sister-in-law." She clapped her hands excitedly.

I gasped and shook my head in a reflex. _Deny everything, Bella!_ "Oh no, it's not like that, Alice. He's my teacher, I'm not sure if we're even allowed to be friends."

Alice made a face. "Yeah, I've heard about that alright. My brother has been sulking for days, now. Some nonsense about keeping his distance from you."

He was _sulking_? Because of me? This was getting weirder by the minute.

I raised my eyebrows at her. "You don't agree with him? He's my teacher, it would be wrong if we…"

But she interrupted me before I could finish my sentence. "Yeah, yeah, teacher, smeacher. Personally I think it depends on the situation. You and Edward are both adults, and in six months you'll be done with high school. It's obvious that you guys like each other, and I don't mean as friends. I can see it in your eyes every time I mention his name… And even though Edward has only talked about you as if you were nothing but a friend to him, I know better."

I was beyond shocked, I didn't know what to say. "I think he cares for me, but not in that way." I said after a short silence.

Alice snorted. "The hell he doesn't! But I've promised him not to interfere with this, so I'm going to shut up now."

"Alright…"

She gave me an encouraging smile. "It will work out in the end, trust me, I know… Hey, why don't we sit down for a minute? I believe we have lots of catching up to do." She suggested.

I grinned at her."That sounds like a plan."

Alice turned out to be one of the nicest people I'd ever met. We chatted for two hours straight, and I was actually enjoying the party. It was easy to talk to Alice, and I learned a lot about her. She was one year younger than Edward, and she owned a cute, little fashion shop in Port Angeles, a rather touristic town not that far from Forks. She also rented an apartment there, where she lived with her boyfriend, who was named Jasper.

I hadn't even noticed that so much time had passed, until the guy with the light blonde hair that I'd seen talking to Edward before was suddenly standing next to Alice.

"Oh! Bella! Meet Jasper, the love of my life." Alice squealed.

I laughed at the adoring look on her face when she spoke his name, and I greeted him warmly. "Hey Jasper, it's very nice to meet you."

He smiled a charming smile and shook my hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella."

"I'm sorry for leaving you alone, honey. Bella and I got talking and I forgot about the time." Alice apologized to him.

Jasper wrapped his arm around her shoulders and shook his head. "That's fine, that's not why I'm here, I was wondering if you guys have seen Edward, lately. I haven't seen him for over an hour."

"That's weird, maybe he left? He wasn't exactly in the partying mood." Alice suggested.

"See that's what I thought, but his Volvo is still parked outside." Jasper commented.

"Oh god, I hope he didn't do anything stupid. He has been in one of his dark, sulky moods for days now…" Alice was half irritated, half worried.

Jasper deliberated for a moment, before coming up with a strategy. "Alice, why don't you look outside? I'll search this floor again and Bella can search upstairs."

I threw Jasper an uncertain glance. My goal for this evening was to avoid Edward, not to go _looking _for him.

"If you want to help, that is." Jasper corrected himself when he saw my stare.

Alice gave me a pleading look. "Please, Bella? Because honestly, if my suspicions are correct, he needs you more than any of us, at the moment."

"Sure… I'll help." I mentally cursed myself for being such a hopeless pushover.

After we had split up I headed for the stairs, and I had to admit that I was a bit worried about him. He didn't want me as his friend, but that didn't erase my feelings for him. I still cared for him, whether he wanted me to or not.

I reached the top of the stairs and turned to the left, coming to the conclusion that there were a lot of doors. I dutifully opened the first one, and behind it was a fancy bathroom. It was empty, and I moved on to the next door. I repeated the same pattern for about six doors, but all of the rooms were empty.

I opened the seventh door, not really expecting anything at this point, when I saw him. I quickly glanced around the room, and I assumed that it was Emmett's old room, seeing as there were some pictures on the walls of a younger Emmett and his friends.

Edward was sitting on the floor, his back leaning against the king-sized bed that was standing in the middle of the room. In his right hand was a bottle that unmistakably contained a fluid with a lot of alcohol in it.

"Edward?" I called cautiously, not sure what his reaction to me would be.

His head snapped up, and he simply stared at me for a while, as if I were a very interesting painting in a museum. He didn't even appear to be surprised, but I guessed the alcohol had made him numb. Perhaps he didn't even recognize me at the moment.

"Are you alright? Everyone's looking for you, why are you doing this?" I tried again.

He still didn't speak, and the silence was killing me. I was glad when he finally broke it, even if nothing useful came out of his mouth…

"Isabella." He murmured. "It means… beautiful, you know… It's the perfect name for you… You're beautiful."

Ah, he had recognized me, alright. My heart started to race, even if it were only the words of a drunk man who didn't know what he was saying.

"And you're drunk…" I said warily, not sure what else to say to him.

"No I'm… not. Come here… Bella." He whispered, reaching out his hand to me, a sad look in his pretty green eyes.

Even in this state, he was irresistible to me, and I tentatively stepped closer to him, completely under his spell. My heart was pounding in my chest, and he motioned for me to keep moving. The moment I was within his reach, he took my hand in his, lacing his fingers through mine.

He gently pulled, and I realized that he wanted me to sit down with him. I swallowed loudly, slowly sinking to the floor. Before I could actually sit down next to him, he wrapped his strong arms around me, pulling me into his lap.

I let out a small shriek of surprise, but he seemed totally oblivious as he hugged me close to him. His arms were locked around my waist and he rested his head on my shoulder, letting out a deep sigh of contentment as he was simply holding me.

He smelled sweet, the typical Edward scent… and there was some alcohol as well, but it didn't even bother me, it felt too good to be in his arms. I was going to regret this in the morning, when he probably wouldn't remember any of it, but that was a price I was more than willing to pay.

His hands started to rub soothing circles on my back and I closed my eyes, concentrating on the pleasant feeling. His tousled, silky hair was brushing against my cheek, and I was unable to resist any longer… I carefully reached up my hands and gently stroked through his bronze locks. How I wished I could be with him like this when he was sober…

"This is how it… should be. Forever." Edward unexpectedly whispered in my ear, interrupting my musings.

The word 'forever' sent shivers up and down my spine. "Forever is a long time, Edward." I told him quietly.

"It's not… even… long enough." He disagreed.

He leaned back slightly, in order to look into my eyes. His own eyes were troubled again. There was sadness, anguish, and something else I couldn't quite place.

"Please… Bella." His slurring but still alluring voice said. "Please… don't… _ever_ leave me."

* * *

_Thanks for reading, new update tomorrow. :D_


	10. Melody

_Hey folks! :)_

_Thanks for all the great reviews; _**Aussiebabbee, Lisa, Jill, RoshyVolturi, HiddenInTheWords, Sarah226, J5girl31012, Twilightluver39, SuperSayjinPanny, Guardian77, Heal my bleeding heart, MunchBunch, Roses4Cullen, Lizzy, Gnomegirl13, Lovinlife3792, Sprinter1, Avery Shane, Miss Stacy Sea Cullen, Team-Emmett-Cullen-Fan, x NON SEQUITUR x, Crazycharl, AutumnOtts, Jm1708, Lauren, She Isn't Here, Lolly **_, _**Uniqueuchenna **_and_** Rosaa!**_ :D Reviews are better than ice-cream! xD Thank you for all the compliments, you guys are awesome! _

_And thanks for the hug, HiddenInTheWords, thanks SuperSayjinPanny for the ice-cream and M&M's, thanks for the expensive See's candy collection, AutumnOtts, and thanks for the M&M's, Lauren! xD Since I have so many bags of M&M's at this point, I'm going to share them with all of you. :p_

_Okay questions: _

_To J5girl31012 (And to everyone else who wanted to know if Edward is going to remember): I'm not going to give away what Edward will and won't remember, but I promise that he isn't going to be a jerk anymore. :p_

_To SuperSayjinPanny: You're right, I'm getting so many reviews, it's amazing! I have the most awesome reviewers in the world! :D_

_To Guardian77: Lol no, I can't update sooner. Unfortunately I'm not a vampire, which means that I have to sleep every now and then. :p (Bite me, Edward, being a vampire would solve the problems I have because of my serious lack of time. xD)_

_To Gnomegirl13: Rape? :O Edward? :O No way. xD_

_To Jm1708: Aahw, that's too bad. :( Good luck at work, and hopefully you'll enjoy this when you get home. ;)_

_Alright, new chapter. Seeing as all of you liked drunk!Edward, here's good news. We'll see some more drunk!Edward today. :p_

_Have fun!_

* * *

**Melody**

We stayed like that for a long moment, and I could've stayed like this forever, just like Edward wanted me to… That was to say; he wanted me to at this moment, but reality would catch up with us eventually, and Alice and Jasper were probably still searching for him.

"Edward?" I asked softly.

"Hmm?"

"We should get you home." I said, even though I was reluctant to leave my comfortable place in his lap.

"I don't… want to go home. I want to stay… with you." He protested. "See? You're already… trying to get rid of me. You can't leave me!"

I sighed tiredly. "No Edward, I don't want to get rid of you."

"Then what's all this… nonsense about leaving." He accused me.

"You know what? What if I made you a promise?" I offered.

Edward glanced up at me, his eyes expectant. "Sounds… interesting. Go on…"

I smiled at him, lightly stroking his cheek. "I'll never _really _leave you, Edward. Even if we're not together, my heart belongs to you, and only you. I don't think I can ever feel like this about anyone else, so no matter what separates us, whether it is your job, or our lives… I'm still yours, and I'll be there for you whenever you need me." It didn't matter that I told him the disturbing truth at this moment, he wouldn't remember in the morning.

His eyes were sparkling and he smiled crookedly at me. "You really… mean that, Bella?"

"Yes, so please stop breaking your pretty head over it." I said, smiling reassuringly, gently stroking a lock of bronze hair out of his glorious face.

"Thank you… Should I… make a promise, in return?" He was talking to himself, rather than me.

I snorted and shook my head. "No, it only counts when you're sober."

He wanted to object, but was interrupted when the door flew open. Alice and Jasper barged in, surprise clearly present on their faces.

"Bella! Edward! There you guys are, we've been looking for you all over the place!" Alice exclaimed in her high voice.

I gave her an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I was just about to look for you guys, but we…"

Alice was smiling like an idiot, and so was Jasper, so I didn't even bother to finish my excuse.

"We should take him home, he can't drive." Jasper stated unnecessarily.

"No kidding, he's wasted." Alice said. "Aren't you wise enough to know by now that getting drunk doesn't solve your problems, Edward." She added, scolding her brother.

"I wouldn't say that, Alice. Maybe in his case, it _does_." Jasper said thoughtfully, nonchalantly gesturing at the two of us.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Funny." I huffed.

I wanted to get up but Edward still didn't plan on letting me go.

"Come on Edward, Alice and Jasper are going to take you home." I said in a stern tone, while I did another attempt to free myself from his iron grasp.

"No… They're bad, just like everybody else… They want to take you away… from me." Edward stuttered.

I made a face at both Alice and Jasper. "Yes, they're totally evil, and after they've separated us, their next goal is to take over the world." I said sarcastically.

Alice let out a loud giggle, but Edward gave me an incredulous look. "Are they? I didn't know that! My own sister is planning on… taking over the world… She didn't even tell me…" He said, sincerely astonished.

We all burst out into a fit of laughter, except Edward, who was suspiciously glaring at us.

"Alright, enough with this, let's get you home." Alice said, kneeling down next to us and pulling on Edward's arms, helping me with freeing myself from his embrace.

"Stop nagging me!" Edward growled at his sister. "You can take over the world for all I care… but you can't have Bella, and you're not taking me home."

"Jazz? A little help here?" Alice called impatiently.

"I think I have an idea…" Jasper mused.

"Great, this is _the_ time to share it." I urged him on.

Jasper grinned and turned his attention to Edward. "Edward? How about we'll let _Bella_ take you to your place?" He asked sweetly.

"No, not _that_ idea!" I objected in a reflex.

Edward however, seemed to approve of Jasper's plan. He grinned goofily and nodded. "I'll go home if… Bella takes me."

I groaned and glared at Jasper. "Thanks a lot."

Jasper snickered. "Anytime."

"Okay, that's settled! Let's get him downstairs." Alice said cheerfully, helping me up once Edward had finally loosened his grip on me. "You're sure you don't mind giving him a ride home?" She added, giving me an apologetic look.

I shrugged. "I don't think I really have a say in the matter, let's get it over with."

We dragged Edward down the stairs and outside to my old, red truck, Jasper supporting most of his weight. I quickly went back inside to tell Rose that I was leaving, and when I was back at my truck, Jasper had already helped Edward into the passenger side. Jasper said a goodbye and went back inside, and Alice buckled her brother in and closed the door.

"I wrote down the address of his apartment." She said, handing me a yellow piece of paper and a small key. "I'm sorry to trouble you with my brother's problems." She apologized again.

"It's fine… Hey, does he often… do this?" I asked, referring to his intoxicated state.

She let out a short laugh. "The last time I saw Edward drunk was at least five years ago. I think that answers your question."

"Oh…" I mumbled.

Alice smiled tentatively. "Listen Bella, if you ask me, he's merely frustrated and angry because he has feelings for you that he's not allowed to show… Give him some time, have some patience with him… I know my brother, he'll come around."

My stomach was filled with butterflies again; because like Rose, Alice also seemed truly convinced that he had feelings for me… What if there was a tiny possibility that he hadn't just said all those things because he was drunk, but also because he'd actually _meant _them?

"I will… Thanks Alice, for everything. It was very nice meeting you." I said warmly.

"I could say the same. And I'm sure we'll see each other again, soon." She said, again that knowing smile on her face.

She gave me a hug, and after we'd said our goodbyes I hesitantly got into my truck.

"Ah, there you are! I was worried." Edward murmured.

I started the engine, hoping that the noise would drown out the sound of my snort. "I was standing right next to the car, talking to Alice." I informed him in a dry tone.

"I know… but still, I'd rather you stayed close to me…" He said seriously.

"Well I'm here, which means you can stop worrying."

I checked the address, before backing out of my parking spot and driving away from the party as fast as my worn out truck could manage.

To my relief Edward was quiet during the short ride; apparently he was done talking sentimental crap at me. When I parked the truck in front of his building after about ten minutes, a smile broke across his face.

"You found it." He said in awe, as if he thought it was a miracle that we'd made it to his place.

"Well what do you know, I did." I replied. I wasn't sure whether to feel insulted or not.

I got out of the truck and walked over to Edward's side to help him out. He was smiling like a lunatic the entire time while I led him to the front door, and it was almost funny. Almost, for the most difficult part of this task was staring me in the face… I would have to make sure that he made it up the stairs, preferably _without _one of us falling down and breaking something.

It took me no less than fifteen minutes before I finally reached the top of the stairs. Edward was holding on to my arm and I was panting.

"Great, I thought we'd never make it." I breathed.

"Oh… Well I never doubted you…" Edward said cheerfully, giving me an admiring grin.

"Nutcase." I muttered under my breath as I searched my pocket for the key Alice had given me, which wasn't easy with Edward still desperately clinging to my arm.

I opened the door and gently pulled on his arm to get him inside. I closed the door behind us and reached for the light switch next to the entrance.

"Okay Edward, I think it would be best if you went to bed now." I hinted.

"I'm not tired." He protested.

"Yes you are." I responded firmly. "Where's your bedroom?"

"I'm not sure…" He answered, a puzzled look in his emerald eyes.

I sighed and scanned the living room, which was reasonably large. From what I could tell this had to be a fairly big apartment. I spotted a small passageway on the other end of the room, and dragged him along. Luck was with me for once, because behind the first door I opened, I found a spacious bedroom.

"Alright, you can go to sleep now." I said, lightly pushing him toward the bed, not sure what to do now.

He turned around and raised his eyebrows at me, his kissable lips twisting into a pout. I couldn't deny that it was endearing, and I tried to suppress a laugh.

"That's very cute, Edward, now go to sleep." I encouraged him, playfully touching the tip of his nose, determined not to fall for his charms again.

He sat down on the edge of the bed, and gazed up at me, his eyes doing that unfair dazzling-thing again, hypnotizing me. "You can't leave." He whispered in his velvety voice.

He reached out to me, like he'd done in Emmett's room, and immediately my resolve started to crumble. He wrapped his hand around my left hand, all the while intently staring into my eyes.

I bit my lip, deliberating.

"Please Bella… You promised…"

How could I resist that face? I wanted to slap myself.

"If I stay, will you behave and go to sleep?" I questioned, frowning at him.

"Yes… Whatever you say." He purred.

I closed my eyes for a second, mentally cursing my inability to say no to him.

"Fine, I'll stay." I blurted out when I opened them again.

He smiled a dazzling smile, and obediently let himself fall back against the pillows. He moved to the center of the bed, creating some room for me, and he patted the empty space next to him, giving me his most adorable look. I slowly sat down on the edge, before I carefully laid down next to him.

He instantly wrapped his strong arms around me and pulled me against his chest, burying his face in my hair. "You smell like… strawberries." He remarked, nuzzling my neck.

"It's just shampoo." I muttered.

"It's nice… Thank… you… Bella…" He whispered.

"You're welcome... Sweet dreams, Edward."

He mumbled something, but he was already half asleep, and I couldn't make out any of the words.

In a matter of seconds he was unconscious, and I moved my head so I could see his face. His features were completely relaxed and peaceful… No worries, no frustrations, no struggles… He looked so young and carefree.

"I love you, Edward." I whispered inaudibly, knowing that he could never hear it…

xxx

I slowly resurfaced, waking up from a calm, dreamless sleep. The first thing that caught my attention was the fact that I was completely surrounded by his heavenly scent. I inhaled deeply and lazily turned around, opening my eyes for the first time. The room was dark, and the alarm clock on the night table told me that it was only six in the morning. I was in _his_ room, sleeping in _his_ bed… But he was nowhere to be seen.

My foggy brain started to get clearer, and it registered a beautiful but haunting sound. The door was opened slightly and a breathtaking melody softly flowed into the room. I guessed the music was what woke me up in the first place, and I sat up straight, trying to hear it better.

I was drawn to the sound, as if it was luring me, and I slid out of the bed, making my way out of the room, my mind set on finding the source of the enchanting music. I wandered in the general direction of the sound, until it got louder and louder.

I stopped walking when I reached a dimly lit room. The door was open, and I smiled as I spotted the piano in the middle of the room. He was sitting on the bench in front of it, his back to me. His fingers were swiftly moving over the ivory keys, producing the most complex melody I'd ever heard.

He didn't notice me, and I silently watched him for a while. It was a beautiful sight, and I was sure that I would never get enough of it, even if I kept watching him play for hours, or days, or weeks…

The melody started to drift to an end, and a feeling of sadness came over me. He played the last notes, and then the room went completely silent. He had felt my presence now, for he slowly turned to face me.

"Did I wake you? I'm sorry, I couldn't sleep anymore." He murmured, sounding normal again.

"No, it's fine." I assured him. "Are you feeling better?"

He pressed his lips into a cautious line. "Yeah… Physically, at least."

"Good." I said quietly, walking over to the bench and sitting down next to him.

He was intently watching me with those emerald orbs, but suddenly his face turned from composed to horrified. "Oh god, Bella, are you crying? Are you alright?" He sounded alarmed.

I frowned in confusion. What was he talking about?

He brought his hand to my face, and gently brushed my cheek. That's when I felt the moisture, a few tears must've escaped me while I'd been listening to him.

I gave him a smile. "I'm fine, it's just… your music… It's amazing, Edward. You've composed this all by yourself?"

"Yes. This one is rather new, actually… I came up with it just now. Sudden rush of inspiration." He explained in an offhand tone, as if it was nothing special.

"Wow… I don't know what to say." I said, still stunned.

"Well I'm very honored that you like it." He cracked a small smile, and once again his beauty made me speechless.

We stared at each other in silence for a moment, until I was able to find my voice.

"Will you play it again?" I asked shyly.

He smirked. "You liked it that much, huh? Sure, I'll play it again."

He placed his hands over the keys again, and I turned around so I was also facing the piano. I rested my head against his shoulder, a huge smile spreading across my face as the music started to play again, the sweet melody filling my head…

* * *

_Thanks for reading! :D New update tomorrow. _


	11. Awkward Situations

_Hey everyone! :D_

_Thank you so much for reviewing; _**HiddenInTheWords, SuperSayjinPanny, JillWithTheVampiresx, Lauren, Ghostbunnieseatcheese, Lizzy, Miss Stacy Sea Cullen, Emma, J5girl31012, Marijne, Sarah226, Lisa, I want to save you, Heal my bleeding heart, Thari, Avery Shane, Lil miss bella cullen, RoshyVolturi, Sprinter1, Gnomegirl13, Lolly, Rosaa, DB. 1994, AutumnOtts**_**,**_**She Isn't Here, Linek, Uniqueuchenna **_and_ **Lizardastra! **_I hope I didn't forget anyone, feel free to kick my butt if I did. Ten chapters and already I've reached over 200 reviews, all thanks to you guys! :D *Hugs all her readers and gives Lauren a piano-playing Edward*_

_And also; thanks for my own drunk!Edward, SuperSayjinPanny (Omg, my own drunk Edward to play with! *grins* :D), thanks for the Skittles, Heal my bleeding heart, thanks for the cookies, Rosaa, thanks for the gummy bears, AutumnOtts, and thanks for the cookies and fairy cakes, Lizardastra! :D_

_Seeing as everyone adores drunk!Edward, maybe I should write another story, one were Edward is an alcoholic. Lol. x'DDD *Laughs at her own lame joke*_

_My typing monkeys have officially made their escape at this point, some nonsense about being overworked, yada yada… But anyway, thanks to my friend Thari I have my own typing Edward now, who can answer all of your questions, beta-read new chapters, upload all this shizzle, and also, he can make tea! :D How kickass is that? xD_

_Alright, questions/announcements/etc:_

_To Lizzy: How do I manage to update every day… Hmm, I don't have a life, for one. xD But other than that it's hard work, to be honest. That's why I normally only manage to do daily updates for the first few weeks. Just like other authors, I can't keep this up forever. xD After two weeks of non-stop writing the headaches usually start to kick in, from all the typing and staring at the screen. ^^" But you should all know that I'm trying my best, and that's all I can do. xD_

_To Marijne: I'm not sure, yet. But I'm positive that there will at least be twenty chapters. ;)_

_To RoshyVolturi: Cool! Happy Birthday! :D Hope you have a great day!_

_To AutumnOtts: Don't worry, that sort of drama won't happen until later in the story. xD_

_To Lizardastra: Aahw, it's awesome that you like Dutch people! Thanks! :D_

_To all of you who are wondering if he will remember: Just keep reading folks. ;)_

_Okay, enough babbling for today, new chapter, enjoy! _

* * *

**Awkward Situations**

I was sitting at Edward's kitchen table, watching his every move as he made breakfast for the two of us. After he had played some more for me he had offered to make me some food, but the atmosphere was a bit awkward, seeing as I wasn't sure anymore where we were standing after last night's events. He hadn't mentioned last night, and I was too much of a coward to bring it up myself. He was acting friendly toward me, but distant at the same time. Again with the mood swings, it was hard to keep up with them.

"You do like waffles, do you?" He asked, pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Sure." I replied, forcing myself to smile at him.

He smiled a small, uncertain smile back at me, before turning his attention back to the waffles he was making. The silence had returned, and it wasn't broken until he placed a plate in front of me.

"One homemade, blueberry waffle for you. I'm sure it tastes better than it looks." He joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Thanks. It looks pretty good, actually."

I took a small bite and it turned out that it tasted pretty good, too. Was there anything that Edward Cullen wasn't good at? He sat down across from me, placing his own plate on the table. More silence as we ate. It was killing me, not knowing if he remembered anything at all about what had happened last night. I was desperately searching my brain for a way to bring it up, when he suddenly helped me out.

"So… I didn't do anything to hurt or upset you last night, did I? I'm afraid I was a little out of it." He said quietly, looking up from his plate.

Well that answers that question… He didn't remember anything. The familiar feeling of disappointment crashed down on me again.

I composed myself and tried to keep my tone light. "Depends… On what you qualify as 'embarrassing'." I repeated his words from the time I'd been talking in my sleep.

He laughed, which made me think that he remembered it, too. "Right, another case of ignorance is bliss?" He asked, confirming my presumption.

I nodded. "Definitely… But it's okay, I suppose. We're even now."

"Yes, it seems we are…" He murmured. "But I still feel the need to apologize, Bella. I'm sorry for dragging you back to my apartment, even though I'm not sure how I did it… That was inappropriate."

"It's fine, Edward, really. It was my choice, too. I could've left if I'd wanted to." I reminded him, hopefully taking away some of the guilt he was feeling.

He sighed, gazing at me with his mesmerizing eyes. "Thank you, Bella."

I smiled at him, reaching over the table to lightly brush the back of his hand. "You're more than welcome."

The loud sound of my rarely-used cell phone made us both jump up.

"Urgh, where is that stupid thing." I groaned in irritation, getting up.

"I think I spotted your purse near the hallstand." Edward offered helpfully.

I found my purse, and frantically searched it for my phone. I briefly glanced at the screen, where Rosalie's name popped up.

"Hi Rose." I answered.

"Hi Rose!? Don't you 'hi Rose' me, young lady!" She snapped. "I was worried sick about you! I thought you were dropping off Edward and going home!"

I winced at her tone and Edward threw me a questioning look. I rolled my eyes at him and mouthed 'Rose'.

"Yes, that was the original plan, I'm sorry." I apologized.

"Then where are you, now?" She asked.

"Still at Edward's place?" My words came out as a question.

"Really?" Rosalie's tone had turned from upset to surprised.

"Yes, really. Look, I'm sorry, I should've texted you. I know that this is very unlike me, and I understand that you were worried…"

"Oh, no… It's fine, don't mention it, I was just a little upset." She said casually. Her mood had turned around abruptly, and I was briefly wondering if mood swings were some sort of new, popular hype that nobody had bothered to tell me about.

"Okay… Well, I'm going to finish my waffle and then I'll come home." I told her.

"Take your time. See ya!" She replied, her tone thick with implications.

"Whatever, Rose." I mumbled. "Bye."

I dropped the phone back in my purse, and returned to the kitchen table, to eat the remainder of my waffle.

"She's truly worried about you, isn't she? She's a really good friend." Edward observed.

I grinned at him. "Yes she is… She might seem a bit overprotective, but she knows me better than anyone else, so she knows that I need some saving from myself sometimes. It wouldn't be the first time that my clumsiness brings me into trouble. No to mention the enormous amount of bad luck that is following me around most of the time." I confessed.

He raised his eyebrows. "That bad, huh?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"That seems unfair." He said.

I shrugged dismissively, and popped the last piece of waffle into my mouth. My life had always been like that, accidents, bad luck… But I always survived, so I never made a big deal out of it.

I offered Edward to help with the dishes, but he told me it was fine, and so I gathered my stuff in order to go back home.

"I guess I'll see you later." I muttered as he let me out. I had no idea how to act anymore.

"Later being tomorrow." Edward said, reminding me that it was a school day tomorrow.

"Right… See you then." I managed to produce a smile.

He rewarded me with a small, uneven smile that didn't touch his eyes. "Goodbye, Bella, thanks for _staying_."

My stomach did a flip when he said 'staying'. Did that mean that he did remember something? I waved that thought away.

"It's nothing." I answered quickly. "Bye."

I nearly ran out of the building, and on the way back home my brain was on overload. There were too many thoughts and emotions going through me at the moment, and I was feeling so confused. I needed to know how things were between Edward and I. Were we friends again? More than friends? Or were we nothing but teacher and student? I deeply regretted not asking him, but the coward in me hadn't been able to do it.

When I got home, Rose overwhelmed me with questions, but I told her I wasn't in the mood. She kept trying, of course, but I subtly dodged her every time she tried to ask something.

"Just tell me one thing, did he hurt you again?" She asked, before I had a chance to escape to the bathroom in an attempt to avoid her cross examination.

"No, he didn't… I'm only hurting myself, Rose. I should just accept the fact that he only sees me as one of his students."

Rose sighed dramatically. "You don't even believe that yourself… He has feelings for you, no doubt about that."

"Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't. Regardless, it doesn't even matter whether he has feelings for me or not… Not if he doesn't want to act on them!"

"Well he can't keep fighting his feelings forever." She comforted me.

"I guess you're right… I just wish I knew what we are now… Hell, I don't even know what to say or how to act when I see him in class tomorrow."

"Act normal, keep your distance until he approaches you, give him some room." Rose suggested.

"Yeah, I suppose that would be best… One thing is for sure, though, it's going to be uncomfortable and awkward..."

xxx

On Monday morning it was safe to say that 'awkward' had been the understatement of the century. I decided to take the easy way out, not giving him a second glance when I rushed into the classroom.

During class I paid attention, kept my mouth shut, and avoided the notes that Rose was shoving in my direction. No way that I was going to give him a reason to address me. It was difficult not to fall back into the habit of staring at him, but I stubbornly kept my eyes glued to the books on my desk; this whole situation was hard enough without those green eyes smoldering me.

After what seemed like forever the bell rang, and I sighed in relief. For the first time since I had met Edward, I was happy that English class ended. I completely ignored him as I left the classroom, and I was pretty proud of myself for handling things so smoothly.

Rose seemed to agree, for she complimented me before we each left for our own classes. "Well done, girl." She said, patting me on the shoulder.

I grinned at her. "Thanks, that wasn't so bad."

"Nope, your tactic was brilliant, too bad it didn't allow you to see the looks he was giving you." She sang, pretending to wipe her forehead with her hand.

"What are you talking about?" I demanded.

"God, the way he stared at you… He wants you, Bella, and he is going to crack. Soon." She stated confidently.

I slowly shook my head at her bossy tone. "I'm not going to argue this time, I just hope you're right."

"Oh I am, trust me! I'll see you at lunch." She winked at me.

We said our goodbyes and I headed for my next class.

Spanish class flew by, and to my surprise Mr. Varner was absent, which meant that I could skip the dreaded trig class for today. Unfortunately I still sucked at trig, and so I went to the pathetic excuse for a library that Forks High possessed, to put my free period to good use and catch up on some trig homework.

The library was deserted, and I sat down at one of the shabby tables in the back. I didn't know how long I'd been sitting there, focusing on several trig problems, when his voice nearly gave me a heart attack.

"Do you need any help with that, Miss Swan?" His tone sounded mocking.

_Shit! Run and hide! _

"No thank you, I'll manage, Mr. Cullen. I'm an expert when it comes to trig." I replied sarcastically, reluctantly lifting my head up and meeting his gaze.

He smirked in a way that made my heart race. "Liar." He said in a low, husky voice.

"Don't you have class?" I asked dismissively.

He shook his head. "No, free period. Why else do you think I would offer you my services?"

I bit my lip, nervously fumbling with the pen in my hands.

"So do you want my help?" He asked again when I didn't answer him, the left corner of his mouth turning up almost invisibly.

He was teasing me, he had to be. He couldn't have missed the effect he was currently having on me.

"Fine… Help me if you must." I grumbled in defeat.

Without hesitating he sat down on the chair next to me. There was hardly any distance between our chairs, and our legs were lightly brushing against each other whenever one of us moved. I wondered if I was the only one who felt the electricity crackling in the air...

"Were you working on this one?" He asked, pointing at something in my workbook.

"Yes."

"Hmm let's see…" He mused.

He started to explain the assignment, and I tried to keep up with him. The problem was that I was seriously distracted by his close proximity. His arm brushed against mine frequently, and every now and then he leaned in, making it even worse. His scent made my head swim, and I felt the overwhelming urge to touch him, to kiss him… anything at all, so I tightly clenched my pen in my right hand, while my left hand was forming a tight fist under the table.

"Do you even hear a word I'm saying?" He asked suddenly.

He didn't sound irritated, more like amused, and I gave him an apologizing look.

"I'm sorry." I croaked.

He smiled serenely. "Oh, I can understand, trigonometry isn't that exciting… And other than that, I have a dark suspicion that _I_ am the biggest source of distraction to you at the moment, am I right?"

Oh god… That voice, those words, his blazing eyes… Was he trying to be seductive? It was working, that was for sure… I could hardly breathe. But _why_ was he doing it? Why now?

"There's no point in denying, Miss Swan." His lips were at my ear now, his breath tickling my overheated skin.

I wanted to argue, but then I felt how he placed his right hand over my hand that I'd been hiding under the desk, gently smoothing out my numb fingers.

"Why so tense?" He murmured, leaning back slightly, moving his perfect face right in front of me.

"Yeah, I wonder why that is." I stuttered, using sarcasm as my last defense.

He smiled smugly. "I think I can guess."

He leaned in a bit, and his breath washed against my lips. I was unable to look away, to break the spell, and I helplessly waited for him to stop… But then he lazily started to trace patterns on the palm of my hand with his index finger, under the table. He was keeping up a slow, torturous pace, and again I had trouble breathing.

"We can't do this here." I blurted out, my cheeks burning when I realized how wrong it sounded.

"Do what?" He asked innocently. "I'm explaining a trig assignment to a student who's in need of my teaching skills. Besides, I don't see anyone around, do you?"

"That's not the point." I gasped. "Why are you doing this?"

He leaned even closer to me, his nose touching mine. At this point I could taste his sweet breath on my lips, and I was on the verge of collapsing.

"Because… It is not nice to _ignore_ people, Miss Swan." He purred.

_Oops_… So that was what this was about. He was getting back at me because I had ignored him in class.

"I- I thought that it would be… better… for us." I defended my behavior.

"I disagree." He replied, those kissable lips less than an inch away from mine.

I wanted him to kiss me so badly, and I was frozen in place, unable to move…

A loud buzzing sound startled us, and we both pulled back in a reflex, sitting straight again. Saved by the bell, _literally_.

"Lunch break." My shaky voice said.

"Yes, it seems you are safe, Miss Swan… for now." He murmured. "I don't like it when you avoid me like that, don't do it again." He added, intently staring into my eyes, as if trying to communicate something vitally important.

He gave me one last crooked smile and got up in a swift movement, casually walking out of the library, not once glancing back. I sat there for about ten minutes, still stunned. This man certainly had a problem when it came to making up his mind, but about one thing I was absolutely positive: No matter how unreal it sounded, Edward Cullen had feelings for me. And to my horror he now knew that I returned those feelings…

* * *

_Thanks for reading, new chapter tomorrow! :D I'm going to have some fun with my drunk!Edward now. xD_


	12. Jealous

_Hi there! :D_

_Wow, apparently I truly have the best reviewers in the world! :D Thank you so much for all the compliments; _**Lizardastra, Thari, Team-Emmett-Cullen-Fan, SuperSayjinPanny, HealThisHeartbreak, MareenCullen', Avery Shane, Lisa, Ghostbunnieseatcheese, Vampire-vs-Werewolf, JillWithTheVampiresx, HiddenInTheWords, Lauren, Sprinter1, Lizzy, DB. 1994,Heal my bleeding heart, Uniqueuchenna, Ballerbabbi44, Klutz586, Avari-at-heart, Dhampirbina, Linek, SuperK4141, Rosaa, Miss Stacy Sea Cullen, J5girl31012, She Isn't Here, MissSpiderFish, Porcelain-Shadow, KnowsGoodReads, Lolly, Feelslikeinsomnia, AutumnOtts, Isabella Maria Swan, Witchykitty1313, Trini36, S2TwilightXox,****Texbratt67, Gnomegirl13 **_and_** RoshyVolturi! **_Everyone gets a digital hug! And an Edward to do your homework, Lizardastra, and a Jasper for Lizzy! xD_

_And also, thanks for the sugar coated almonds and cookies, Lizardastra, thanks for all the sweets in the world, Lauren (xD), thanks for the Skittles and cookies, Heal my bleeding heart, thanks for the seductive Edward, Rosaa, and thanks for the saltwater taffy in all flavors, AutumnOtts! :p_

_And of course a big thank you to all the other people who are reading this, or have added it to their favorites!_

_To everyone who is wondering if drunk Edward will be back: I'm sorry, no. xD Edward isn't an alcoholic in this story, unfortunately. :p_

_To SuperSayjinPanny: Hmm, my favorite Edward… I would have to say JealousWard, you'll see why after this chapter. :p And eating Ben&Jerry's is always a good thing! xD_

_To Ghostbunnieseatcheese: Lol, I'll give him your love, but he can't have the alcohol, sorry. :p_

_To HiddenInTheWords: Have fun on your school trip! And sure, you can borrow my drunk Edward. Borrow! :p_

_To AutumnOtts: You're right, at this point I have to buy a bigger house to store all that candy. :p_

_Moving on to the story! Today, I'm like Alice, I'm psychic, and I predict that ninety-nine percent of the readers will like this chapter. :p Enough said, have fun!_

* * *

**Jealous**

I was gathering all my courage, motionlessly standing in front of the entrance of the English classroom. It was Tuesday morning, and after Edward's rather spicy warning yesterday, I knew that ignoring him again wasn't the best idea in the world.

"Are you going to stand there for the rest of the day?" Rose asked, giving me a small push.

"I don't think I could get away with that..." I mused.

"Good guess, now move it!" She gave me another push and my feet started to move.

I entered the classroom, and I didn't miss that his eyes were already completely focused on the door. He was evil, not even giving me a chance to compose myself. I met his gaze, and he smiled his uneven smile, turning my knees into jelly. By now I was sure that he was doing it on purpose. I forced myself to return his smile, and he raised one of his eyebrows at me, as if daring me to walk up to him and protest to his actions.

I freed myself from his stare, quickly taking my seat next to Rose. He started class as soon as I had opened my books, and I tried to pay attention. I glanced longingly at him, since it didn't matter anymore; he knew exactly how I felt about him. I watched his every move, not giving him another chance to accuse me of ignoring him, and I zoned out to my own, personal dream world, a magical place where he was all mine.

To my immense annoyance, I felt a tap on my shoulder, taking me back to reality. I subtly turned around in my chair, only to come face to face with Mike Newton, who was sitting right behind me.

"Hey Bella." He whispered.

"Hi." Was all he got from me.

"Miss Swan, Mr. Newton, I suggest that you both pay attention." Edward's irritated voice made me wince a little.

I turned around and saw that he was giving me a stern look, but there also was some humor hidden in those emerald eyes.

"Sorry, Mr. Cullen." I said, doing a pitiful attempt to sound seductive. Two could play this game… If only I knew the rules, that would've helped.

He resumed his class, and again I didn't take my eyes off of him. Too bad that Mike Newton didn't give up that easily. Another tap on my shoulder.

"Don't turn around." Mike whispered, changing his tactic. "But we haven't talked in ages, Bella... And there's this great new movie that I would like to see, so I thought maybe, we could go and see it together this weekend..."

I groaned inwardly. "I'm afraid my schedule for this weekend is already full." I tried to keep my voice down.

I knew I had failed the second his burning, green eyes landed on me again. Wonderful, he had heard it.

"Miss Swan, that's the second time today, you seem to have some serious problems when it comes to concentrating. I want to see you after your last class, maybe _detention _will motivate you to pay attention next time." He said, his tone firm, but the hint of a smile around his lips.

_What the hell?! _

"But sir he…" I started, referring to Mike who had brought me into trouble in the first place.

"Were you seriously going to say 'he started it', Miss Swan?" Edward interrupted me in a mocking tone.

I glared at him, outraged.

"As wonderful as that excuse sounds, I'm afraid that it's irrelevant. Detention Miss Swan, half past three, this room."

Again he continued his class, and Rose giggled.

"What?" I hissed at her.

"Nothing… I was just thinking that you won't have to be afraid that he wants you to do chores or something like that."

"How would you know?" I mouthed at her.

Rose smirked. "I think he has other plans for you, plans that you'll approve of."

I rolled my eyes at her. "Very funny. I think he's just pissed and trying to take it out on me."

The truth was, that I honestly wasn't sure what to think... Edward had never given anyone detention before, that was not his style. He did warn students who were chatting during class, but it was never more than a warning, so I'd figured that in order for him to give detention, you would have to do something that was a lot worse than talking… That made me think that this had to be something personal, and I was anxious to find out what he was playing at…

xxx

The day dragged on and on, and I felt on edge and restless as I endured the torture of my other classes, all the while wondering what Edward had in store for me.

When gym class ended at last, Rose was waiting for me outside the gym, asking me if she should wait up for me. I told her it was fine, and that I would walk home, some fresh air wouldn't kill me.

I waved her goodbye as she stalked off to the parking lot, and my heart started to race as soon as she was out of sight, anticipating my 'appointment' with Edward. I had to drag myself back to his classroom, my heavy feet making it hard for me to move properly.

I took a long, deep breath before opening the door, telling myself that it would be alright. He'd been pissed about something, that much I knew, but even then, how bad could it be?

The second I stepped into his room, my breathing became uneven. He had been sitting behind his desk, grading papers, but he abruptly got up from his chair when he spotted me.

"Well if it isn't my favorite student, right on time." He complimented me.

His face gave away nothing, and I nervously bit my lip, deciding that it would be best to keep my mouth shut for the time being. The chance of something useful coming out of it right now was less than zilch.

"Close the door behind you." He commanded gently.

I did as he told, never taking my eyes away from him. I was a prisoner of his penetrating stare, unable to find the will to look away.

"Why don't you come over here?" His words made it sound like I had a choice, but the mild command in his tone implied something different.

I stumbled over to his desk, and he walked around it, slowly, deliberately, like a hunter who was stalking his prey. I swallowed violently when it occurred to me that this was a hell of a lot like that dream I'd had last week…

He didn't stop until he was standing right in front of me, within my reach. The expression on his face only confused me more, but then again, this was Mr. Moodswing we were talking about. I could make out determination, some anger, and even some… humor? I gave up on trying to analyze him, hoping that he would get to the point and enlighten me.

"So Bella… You and the Newton boy were looking quite _cozy_." He started. He wasn't completely able to keep his tone indifferent, some anger seeped through.

"He tried to talk to me, not the other way around." I informed him in an icy tone.

"Ah, that excuse again… Tell me, what was it that he needed to discuss so urgently?" Edward asked, expectantly raising his eyebrows.

"He asked me to go out with him." I mumbled, blushing.

"I can't quite hear you." Again that mocking tone, teasing me, enjoying my uneasiness.

"He asked me to go out with him." I repeated, louder this time, dropping my eyes to the floor.

I mentally patted myself on the back for successfully breaking free from his hypnotic gaze, when he effectively messed up my plan. I felt how he lightly placed one of his fingers under my chin, lifting it up, forcing me to look at him. He leaned closer to me, his eyes smoldering me again. He was about as close to me as he'd been in the library the other day, and I was nearly hyperventilating.

"And… what did you tell him?" He asked slowly, emphasizing each word.

I blinked and cleared my dry throat. "I lied. I told him that I didn't have time this weekend."

He chuckled, and his warm breath caressed my face. "Correct answer. You can't date him…" He stated bluntly.

_Excuse me?! _I gave him an incredulous look. What was he talking about?! He wanted me to stay away, but he also wanted me to stay close. I couldn't have _him_, but at the same time he didn't want me to date _anyone else_! Who the hell did he think he was?

"I can't date Mike Newton? Give me one good reason why not!" I snapped at him before I could stop myself, my anger getting the best of me.

Edward rolled his eyes and gave me a disapproving look. "You know why, Bella… You can't date him… because you're already _mine_."

My eyes widened and I stopped breathing as my brain tried to process what he was saying . I was speechless, unable to form any coherent thoughts. I was completely and utterly lost as I gazed into those eyes, which were almost a liquid green now.

"You promised, Bella… Your heart is mine." He whispered. He didn't sound confident anymore, but unsure and pleading.

I was starting to feel dizzy due to a lack of oxygen, and I inhaled sharply. He remembered… He remembered my promise. All this time he knew, but he had pretended that he had no clue what had happened that night.

"Edward, you…" I started my accusation, but I didn't get a chance to finish my sentence.

His burning eyes gave me one last brief warning, before he suddenly closed the small distance between us, inch by inch. He paused when his lips were lightly skimming against mine, as if asking me for permission. I reacted without thinking, brushing my lips against his, and his lips turned into a smile, before he urgently crushed them against mine...

I vaguely remembered that I was mad at him, but it didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore, for I was finally kissing those soft, perfect lips. I eagerly kissed him back, moving my lips with his. He tasted as good as he smelled, and his lips felt as good as they looked… I locked my arms around his neck, and he wrapped his strong arms around my waist, securing me to him. My entire body was trembling from the sensation of his smooth lips moving with mine, and I never wanted him to stop, but eventually I ran out of air.

"Edward…" I whimpered against his lips.

He understood what the problem was, and broke free, giving me some room to breathe. He didn't let go of me though, and at this point he was trapping me between the desk and his body. He started to place kisses along my jaw line, and I gasped at the amazing feeling.

"You're mine, Bella… The Newton boy should back off…" He murmured against my skin.

Oh god, those words were more than I could handle. Edward Cullen was _jealous_. I had already experienced many different mood swings when it came to Edward, but this jealous Edward was definitely my new favorite. His lips against my skin… that was also more than I could handle. Without a warning he lifted me up and placed me on the desk, in order to have better access. I let out a small squeak of surprise as his lips were moving down to my throat, placing a trail of openmouthed kisses in a tantalizingly slow pace.

"Say it, Bella." He said in a silky, seductive voice.

I wanted to reply, but I couldn't speak, and he started to move those irresistible lips again. He moved to my neck, gently nipping and sucking at the soft skin there, and his strong hands found their way into my hair.

"Take your time, no need to rush… I can wait _forever _to hear you say it." He purred.

Forming a sentence was too complicated, but I succeeded in choking out a word. "Yours…" I breathed.

He paused for a second, and I could feel that his lips were slowly turning up into a smile against my throat.

"What was that, love?" He asked, taunting me some more.

"I'm yours, Edward."

He abruptly released me but took both my hands in his. His green eyes were shining, and his face was radiant, a beautiful smile around his lips. He didn't say anything but leaned in again to give me a short, sweet kiss on the lips. When his lips left mine again, he carefully rested his forehead against mine.

"As I am yours, my Bella." His velvety voice whispered. "Forever."

My heart fluttered at his words, and for a moment it actually seemed like I had gotten the happy ending with him that I had wanted so desperately from the very first moment I'd laid eyes on him. But deep down inside I knew that this was only the beginning… Because no matter what, he was still my teacher, and we were going to have to sneak around, all the time. With my bad luck, problems were guaranteed. Not that it made a difference, I would do _anything_, if I could just be with him...

xxx

"What are you thinking, love?" Edward asked as he gently took my hand in his.

We were sitting in his car, which had turned out to be a shiny silver Volvo, and he was giving me a ride home. I had told him that a little walk wouldn't kill me, but he had insisted on driving me. Not that I complained, some extra time with him was highly appreciated.

"Won't you tell me?" He tried again.

I turned my head to look at him, and saw that he was also looking at me. He gazed up at me from under his lashes, and I figured that he was trying to dazzle it out of me. It worked.

"I'm just… wondering what we are now… And where we go from here." I blurted out the truth, as usual.

"Well I don't know how about you, but I was thinking about something along the lines of 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend'. You can be the girlfriend of course, I'll be the boyfriend." He joked, smiling crookedly.

A wide grin stretched across my face. "Really? You're my boyfriend?" I snorted.

"Only if you want me to be." He assured me.

"Yes… I would love that." I said timidly.

He chuckled. "Well there's the answer to your first question… As for your second question… I suppose we will have to be sneaky."

"Yeah… I figured that much."

Edward sighed, and lightly squeezed my hand. "I'm sorry… I wish I could take you out on a proper date. I mean I will, someday, but for now we can't be seen in public."

"I know, and I'll gladly wait, Edward." I said, reassuringly lacing my fingers through his.

A few minutes later we reached my building, and Edward parked his car. We sat in silence for a short while, simply gazing at each other.

"I don't want to get out." I confessed.

He laughed his soft, musical laugh. "I know how you feel, love… I wish I could be with you every second of the day."

He hesitantly placed his hand against my cheek, softly stroking my skin, causing a tingling sensation. I smiled at him and leaned in to his touch. I stared at his angel's face, and my eyes were automatically focusing on those kissable lips.

"Am I allowed to kiss you now?" I asked hesitantly, still a bit unsure.

He smirked at me. "You don't have to ask, Bella."

I flushed bright red, and his smirk grew even more pronounced.

"So are you going to give me that kiss, or what? I'm waiting." He hinted, smiling mischievously at me.

He didn't have to tell me twice, and I leaned in, softly brushing my lips against his. I smiled against his lips as he eagerly started to kiss me back, and I knotted my hands in his messy, bronze hair. If it were up to me, we would stay here forever and never end the kiss...

My breathing became erratic, and he carefully pulled away.

"Breathe, love." He whispered.

I took a deep breath, and made a face at him. "That's all your fault, you know. You have that effect on me."

"I do, huh? In that case I hope it never goes away." He said smugly, obviously proud of himself.

"Don't worry, it won't." I said, giving him a small peck on the lips. "I should go now, before Rose decides to start dinner and burns the place down."

He chuckled. "You're right, we wouldn't want to be responsible for that… So I'll see you tomorrow?"

I nodded. "Tomorrow." I repeated longingly.

I slowly got out of his car, and when I glanced over my shoulder I was met by his still smiling face. "Have sweet dreams tonight, Bella."

"That won't be a problem." I answered dryly. "Bye, Edward."

"Bye, love." I heard him say before I closed the door behind me.

I watched him as he drove off, not going inside until he was completely out of sight. I couldn't believe it… Edward Cullen was mine, and I was his. And whatever obstacles we would come across, I was sure that we were going to make it, as long as we were together.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! ;) New update tomorrow._


	13. Present

_Hey guys! :D_

_Thanks for reviewing; _**Blah**_, _**Lizzy, MareenCullen', Rosaa, Feelslikeinsomnia, Avery Shane, Marijne, SuperSayjinPanny, Lolly, Porcelain-Shadow, Lizardastra, Dhampirbina, J5girl31012, Lauren, Miss Stacy Sea Cullen, Thari, Edward and Bella forever, Sprinter1, Jm1708, HealThisHeartbreak, Gnomegirl13, Wcsppmh-me, Witchykitty1313, AutumnOtts, Lisa,****She Isn't Here **_and_** Sarah226!**_ :D You people make me smile! :D Thanks to Porcelain-Shadow who requested this, a free, digital JealousWard for all of you! :p_

_And also, thanks for JealousWard/HornyWard and the chocolate, SuperSayjinPanny (I'm a true chocoholic, so any kind will do. :p), thanks for the crisps/Skittles, Lizardastra, thanks for another JealousWard, Lauren, thanks for yet another JealousWard who can be jealous of my TypingWard (xD), Thari, thanks for the red hots, AutumnOtts, and Lizzy, I think I want that island! ;)_

_Seems I have a lot of Edwards now… *All her jealous Edwards are starting to beat each other up* *The house is reduced to a pile of rubble* *Picks up her laptop and the cat, and moves to a new house* Sigh, boys will be boys. _

_Alright, questions/etc:_

_To Rosaa: What is the title referring to? Basically it's referring to the impossible situation that Bella and Edward are stuck in. Bella's life finally gets a bit more exciting and she finds the man of her dreams, but she isn't allowed to want him. The same goes for Edward. It's sort of that 'be careful what you wish for' thing. _

_To Feelslikeinsomnia: Yes, there will definitely be a happy ending. :p I'm all for happy endings, just like you, so don't worry about that._

_To SuperSayjinPanny: Oh my god… You're right, it's a conspiracy! :O You people are trying to get me fat so that I'll get stuck behind my computer. :p_

_To Dhampirbina: Oops, sorry for the heart attack. :p_

_To J5girl31012: Nope sorry, no previews. I simply don't have the time, and it would only take me longer to write new chapters. xD_

_To Lauren: You lucky girl! :O_

_To Jm1708: Welcome back! :p When Edward says that everyone is bad, he means society in general, all the people around him and Bella who are the reason they can't be together. ;)_

_To Lisa: Lol, you won't have to beg. :p I agree with you, I think these two deserve a break after all this drama, so a few fluffy chapters are coming up. And I have a nice trip planned for them, so stay tuned. _

_Pff, huge author's note. Yeah whatever, if anyone is annoyed by the long author's notes, just skip them. :p Chapter thirteen, have fun! _

* * *

**Present**

When I entered the apartment, Rose started to scream excitedly as soon as she spotted me.

"Are you feeling alright?" I asked dryly when she was done screaming, wondering what her problem was.

"You and Edward totally are a couple." She squealed.

"You spied on us?!" I accused, pointing my finger at her.

"Ehm no…" She said seriously, before letting out a small giggle.

"What's so funny?" I demanded.

She made an innocent face, and pointed at her neck. After a small moment of confusion it occurred to me what she was referring to, and I blushed furiously as I rubbed my hand against a rather sore spot on my throat.

"He marked me." I grumbled.

"Yep… it seems someone was desperate to stake his claim." Rose teased me. "I told you that he wanted you! Do you still need more proof?"

I snorted. "No, I think he has made his intentions clear…"

"So you guys are a happy couple now?" Rose verified.

"More like a sneaky couple, but yes." I said, grinning at her.

She grinned back enthusiastically. "Great, it's good to hear that you guys are finally past all the running and chasing."

"Yes… but I am going to grill him about one thing the next time I get the chance… He lied to me, Rose! He didn't forget about what happened that night when he was drunk! He remembered something important that I told him that night."

Rose shrugged. "I suppose he didn't want to make the situation more difficult."

"I suppose… But still, I am sort of mad at him… but he's pretty damn good at distracting me." I huffed.

"Obviously." Rose muttered, glancing at my neck.

"Stop staring at it!" I groaned, covering my neck with my hands.

"Alright, alright." She defensively held up her hands. "You know what, I'll leave you alone and start dinner, you deserve a break from all the cooking."

"No that's fine, Rose, why don't we order a pizza tonight." I suggested subtly.

She stuck out her tongue at me. "Mark my words, Bella Swan! Someday, I will learn to cook, and _you_ will be begging _me_ to prepare dinner for you."

I let out a short laugh. "I believe you… But until that happens, let's just order pizza..."

xxx

The evening was quiet and relaxed, and I was feeling extremely happy. We had just enjoyed our pizza, and Rose and I were now watching some soap on TV. Actually I was only partly watching, seeing as I was already thinking about tomorrow, when I would see my boyfriend again. _Boyfriend_… The word alone was enough to make my heart accelerate again.

I was just replaying our first kiss in my head, when the doorbell rang and made me jump. Rose growled, her eyes still fixated on her favorite soap.

"Let's ignore it." I mumbled lazily, not in the mood to get rid of Jacob.

Rose mumbled a short 'uhu' in response and kept watching the screen, at least until the bell rang for the second time.

"Aargh!" She exclaimed in frustration as she got up from the couch. "Somebody better be dying!"

"Who is it?" Rose snapped at the speaker.

"Urgent delivery for Miss Isabella Swan." A firm, professional voice replied.

Rose frowned at me. "Did you order something?" She hissed.

"No, not that I remember… Maybe Jacob is trying to send me a dead animal or some faded flowers… Isn't that what stalkers do?" I joked.

Rose rolled her eyes but pressed the green button. "Come up."

I curiously made my way to the door, and when I opened it a guy in a blue uniform was standing in front of it. He handed me a small, flat, rectangular box, adding a polite smile.

"If you could sign here, please, Miss Swan." He said, holding up a form in front of my face.

I quickly wrote down my name and he nodded in approval. "Thank you, have a nice evening."

Rose shut the door and raised her eyebrows at me. "What is this all about?"

"We'll find out soon enough."

I removed the plain, brown paper with my name and address on it, and found out that the package contained a white envelope and a CD in a blank CD case. My name was written on the envelope in a neat, elegant script.

Rose grinned. "I think it's from your Mr. Cullen, I'll give you some privacy."

She returned to the couch to be reunited with her beloved soap, and I slowly sat down at the dining table. My heart was nervously doing some flips as I ripped open the envelope, and I smiled like an idiot as I pulled out a letter in the same elegant script. My hands were shaking a bit with excitement, and so I placed the letter on the table before I started reading.

_My beautiful Bella,_

_Here's a small present, because I feel like I owe you an apology for everything that happened after that night when I was drunk. A lot of things about that night are still blurry to me, but for some reason I do remember you telling me how you felt about me. I'm sorry for lying to you, but I thought it would only make things more awkward between the two of us if you knew that I remembered your confession to me. I thought it was for the best, but it turns out I was wrong._

_I think you'll recognize this song, seeing as you seemed to like it very much. I told you that I had a sudden rush of inspiration, but what I didn't tell you was that _you_ were my inspiration. This melody came to me while I watched you sleep, so I guess that means that it belongs to you. _

_Sweet dreams, my love._

_Forever yours,_

_Edward_

My heart was thundering in my chest. I couldn't believe this guy… Could he be any more adorable? I got up and snatched the CD from the table, hurrying into my room, turning on my old CD player. I placed the CD in it, and pressed the 'play' button.

After a few seconds, a soft, beautiful melody filled the room, the same melody that he had played for me the night I'd stayed at his apartment. I sat down on my bed, listening in awe. It was amazing, it was perfect, it was breathtaking… this man was very talented… And the best part was, that according to him _I_ had inspired this beautiful song… Before I could stop myself the tears spilled out again, but this time it were tears of pure, unadulterated bliss.

The song ended and the room was very quiet, all of the sudden. I wanted to see him… I wanted to thank him, kiss him, be in his arms… I made a rash decision, and I jumped up from the bed and sprinted into the living room, collecting my coat and my car keys.

"Are you leaving?" Rose asked, looking up from the TV.

I grinned like a lunatic. "I have to see Edward."

She let out a surprised laugh. "At this hour?"

"Who cares." I said dismissively, heading for the door.

"Silly Bella, you've got it bad… Have fun." I heard her call after me before I skipped out of the front door.

My breathing was uneven as I hastily got into my truck and started the engine. He only lived a five minute drive away from me, and I was thankful for that. During the short drive I was nagged by some second thoughts… What if he didn't want me to visit him? What if he was already asleep? I considered turning around for a split second, but quickly dismissed the idea. I just had to see him, and if he didn't feel like having me around at the moment, he could simply ask me to leave.

His building came into sight after a few minutes, and I found an empty spot to park my truck. I turned off the engine and took a deep breath before getting out of the car. I was only minutes away from seeing him, and my heart made some more wild moves at that thought.

I half-ran up the stairs, miraculously without falling down, and when I reached his door I took another deep breath before ringing his bell. It didn't take him long to answer the door, which made me think that at least he hadn't been asleep. His face was clearly surprised when he saw me, but the surprise quickly turned into enthusiasm.

"Bella!" He exclaimed, a brilliant smile on his face. "Do you want to come in?"

"Yes, if that's alright." I replied.

He let me in, closing the door behind us, and he gave me another wide grin, his eyes shining. That was the only sign I needed, and I threw myself into his arms. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms tightly around me, and I buried my face in his chest.

He chuckled. "I take it you liked my present, then?"

"I loved it, Edward." I mumbled into his shirt. "I love _you_."

He froze in my arms, and I realized what I'd just said and wanted to slap myself for once again blurting out the uncensored truth. 'I love you' was way too serious, I was going to scare him off if I kept this up. I was close to becoming a stalker, no better than Jacob Black...

"I'm sorry." I stuttered, releasing him from my grasp. "It sort of… slipped out."

I carefully glanced up to gauge his reaction, but he seemed relaxed again, smiling even, happy… His eyes were that liquid emerald again.

"Please don't apologize, love, you just took me by surprise, that's all. You can't imagine how happy it makes me to hear you say that. I love you, too, sweetheart, more than anything in the world." He said softly, pulling me into his arms again.

My heart did a few frantic flips…_ He had said the magic words. 'I love you'._

"It feels good to say it." I whispered.

Edward laughed lightly, and he gently kissed the top of my head. "Actually… that wasn't the first time you said it." He informed me in a casual tone.

Uh oh… did that mean that he _did_ hear me when I had told him that I loved him, the night that he was drunk? But he had seemed so fast asleep, he couldn't possibly have heard me…

"I did? When?" I asked, unable to suppress my curiosity, looking up at him again to see his reaction.

He smiled apologetically. "Well… I told you that you talked in your sleep, right?" He trailed off suggestively.

I groaned in frustration. "God no! I told you I loved you in my sleep!? In that case 'embarrassing' was a huge understatement… 'Embarrassing' is not a big enough word to describe a situation like that!" I ranted.

He merely laughed, though. "Don't worry about it, really… Come on, why don't we sit down?" He proposed, gesturing to the couch.

I nodded and we both took a seat on his couch. I snuggled into his side, resting my head on his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around me. He tenderly pressed a kiss against my forehead, and I sighed in contentment.

"When was it? When did I tell you?" I asked, curious again.

He seemed in thought for a second, and then he smiled at the memory. "It was that night you fell asleep on the couch when I came to your place to apologize about the thing with Lauren. At first you started to babble about all kinds of stuff, and I thought it was very amusing. But then suddenly… you said that you loved me..."

I rolled my eyes and let out a short laugh at my own expense. "Yeah, count on me to do something humiliating, even while I'm asleep."

"To be honest, I didn't mind in the slightest, love…" Edward said, smirking at me. "But I have to admit that it was the main reason I had second thoughts about us being friends… When you said those words… I knew we were already in too deep, both of us, seeing as I also had some very strong feelings for you myself, at that point." He added more seriously.

"So that was why you changed your mind, the next day?"

"Yes, I knew it was wrong, and I tried to fight it, but it's pointless, Bella. Trying to fight something this strong isn't realistic…" He murmured, lightly stroking his hand through my hair.

"You did a pretty good job fighting it, at first." I reminded him, remembering the days when he had avoided me as much as possible.

"I might've done well on the outside… On the inside, not so much. I felt miserable for days… that was the darkest week of my life… And then I saw you dancing at Emmett's party… I wanted you to be mine so badly, and I just lost it." He confessed.

"Drinking doesn't solve your problems, Mr. Cullen." I repeated his sister's words from that evening.

"I'm not sure about that… I got to take you home with me." He said, grinning wickedly.

"And I enjoyed every minute of it." I assured him. "Well, except maybe the part where I had to drag you up the stairs."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about that." He laughed a soft, beautiful laugh, but was soon back to serious again. "I wish things weren't so complicated… If only it weren't for my stupid, underpaid job." He groaned, irritated.

I arched my eyebrows in confusion. "Underpaid? From the looks of it I'd say that's a lie." I said dryly, glancing around his luxurious apartment. "Not to mention the car."

He sighed. "I have my parents to thank for all this, Bella. Carlisle and Esme are very wealthy, and they helped me out. And even though they don't want me to, I want to pay them back, but I can't do that if I get fired."

"Oh… I see." I mumbled in understanding.

"But on the bright side, only a few more months left…" He said in a more optimistic tone.

"Hmm, yeah. We'll make it, I'm sure." I whispered.

I glanced up at him and smiled again when I realized that this perfect creature was all mine. I still had some trouble wrapping my head around it, but it was starting to get easier, especially on moments like this one, when I was safe in his arms.

I sat a little straighter so I had less trouble reaching him, and I placed a small kiss against the smooth skin of his neck where I could reach it. He sighed in pleasure and I took it as a sign to continue, placing more kisses against his skin, working my way up to his mouth.

He smiled crookedly and turned his head to help me out. I brushed my lips against his, and he started to move his lips with mine in a heartbeat. The sweet taste of Edward was something I would never get enough of, and I used both my hands to secure his face to mine. We kissed until I had no choice but to break free for some much needed oxygen.

We were both breathing raggedly, and I was wondering if his heart was beating as fast as mine was right now.

"You should know that I'll probably die at an early age from a heart attack if you keep this up." I told him when I was breathing normally again.

He grinned and lightly kissed the tip of my nose. "You're not the only one, you should hear my heart." He replied, answering my unspoken question.

I did just that, snuggling against his chest, resting my ear over the place where his heart was. I smiled widely when I observed that it was beating frantically.

"Proud of your victory, are you?" He teased when he saw my smile, ruffling my hair.

"You do the same to me, so it's an even score."

"Yes… I suppose it is." He murmured.

We sat like that for quite some time, and I kept listening to his heartbeat as it gradually calmed down. After a while I recalled the fact that there was also a world outside of Edward's apartment, and when I checked my watch I saw that it was almost midnight.

"I should go, or I won't be able to stay awake during class tomorrow." I said, reluctantly getting up.

"Fall asleep during my class for all I care, I'll make sure that you get detention." He said with a smirk, also getting up from the couch and wrapping his strong arms around me.

"You're a bad example, Mr. Cullen." I teased him back.

He grinned and released me, but kept holding on to my hand as he led me to the door.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow, sleep well, Edward."

He pouted at me. "Don't I get a goodnight kiss?"

I didn't have to think about that, and I stood on my tiptoes to kiss him lightly on the lips.

"Sleep well, my Bella." He hummed against my lips.

I pulled back, smiling shyly at him, and made my way out of the door, but he stopped me by gently grabbing my wrist.

"Wait… maybe we should exchange phone numbers… Since we can't be seen together… That way I can text you or call you when I miss you." He said, winking at me.

I grinned like a maniac. "Good idea… Be prepared to be stalked, Mr. Cullen."

He smiled devilishly. "Be prepared to be stalked, yourself."

We quickly exchanged phone numbers and said our goodbyes, both of us already looking forward to seeing each other again. I felt like flying on the way back home, and just as I parked my car next to Rosalie's BMW, my cell phone beeped, announcing that I had a new text message.

I frowned, pulling the phone out of my purse, and saw that it was from Edward. He was unbelievable, I was with him five minutes ago!

Not that I minded, and neither did my heart, for it sighed happily as I read his message.

'_I miss you already, my Bella. You'll star in all my dreams tonight. Edward._'

* * *

_That's it for today, thanks for reading. :D New update tomorrow. _


	14. Sneaking Around

_Hey everyone! :D_

_Thank you for leaving all those amazing reviews; _**Lisa, Lizzie, MunchBunch, Thari, Porcelain-Shadow, Heal my bleeding heart, Dhampirbina, SuperSayjinPanny, MareenCullen', JillWithTheVampiresx, Alix-09, Lizzy, Feelslikeinsomnia, Lolly, Sprinter1, HealThisHeartbreak, Jm1708, Lauren, DB. 1994, J5girl31012, Avery Shane, AutumnOtts, She Isn't Here,****Texbratt67 **_and_** Porkkana!**_ :D *Gives all her reviewers a digital hug* Oh, and of course a Carlisle for Lizzy! :p_

_Thanks for the LoveWard and chocolate, Lizzie, thanks for the car and chocolate (I pick the Toblerone! :D), SuperSayjinPanny, thanks for the Skittles, dairy milk, and brownie, Heal my bleeding heart, thanks for the house, Lizzy, and thanks for the Swiss chocolate, AutumnOtts! :D You guys really want me to get fat, don't you? xD_

_To Dhampirbina: Wow, a god! :O That's really something. xD Thanks! :p_

_To MareenCullen': Well actually, Mr. Cullen is going to make up an excuse to give her detention today. :p_

_To AutumnOtts: Lol, I don't know if my other readers are going to be happy if I replace Bella's name with yours. :p I'm afraid a lot of people want their name up there. :p_

_Alright my dears, chapter fourteen. Personally I like this one, I've no idea why. xD I guess because it was fun to write. I'm going to stop talking now. xD_

* * *

**Sneaking Around**

I woke up feeling slightly confused and disorientated. As usual, it was an annoying beeping sound that woke me up, but it caught my attention that the sound didn't come from my alarm clock. I groaned and opened my eyes, and I suddenly recalled my cell phone, which was lying on the nightstand.

I reached out and grabbed it, to see that I had a new text message.

'_Good morning, love. Did you sleep well? Guess what, I get to see you again in less than two hours. I'm counting the minutes. Edward.'_

_Holy_… What a way to start the day. I grinned and started typing a new message.

'_Why yes, I slept very well… I had an interesting dream that had something to do with a gorgeous man... I'm counting, too.'_

This day had only just started and already I was on cloud nine. I had a goofy grin on my face as I went through my morning routine, and Rose didn't even bother to tease me about it. She did express her concern when I told her I didn't feel like eating breakfast, but I honestly told her that my stomach was too full of butterflies this morning.

I didn't know if Edward had been joking when he'd texted that he was counting down, but as it was, I was counting down seconds, instead of minutes.

I was a little restless on the way to Forks High, and Rose snorted when she noticed that I was impatiently fumbling with the zipper on my backpack.

"Relax, Bella, you'll see him soon enough." She teased me. "You've really got it bad."

"Stop making fun of me, keep driving." I said in mock annoyance.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, but there's this thing called a 'speed limit'."

"The inventor of speed limits is a party-pooper who takes all the fun out of life." I muttered.

Rose rolled her eyes at me. "Hypocrite, you're usually the one who's always complaining that I'm a reckless driver."

We kept bickering until we reached our destination, and I all but ran to my first class, Rose wobbling a few feet behind me on her high heels.

"You're nuts." She breathed as she tried to keep up. "Besides, it's not like you can kiss him, or touch him, or something even remotely close to it."

I shrugged. "I know, I'll have to settle for ogling him."

We entered the classroom and I was instantly greeted by his breathtaking smile. I grinned back like the idiot I was, and he smirked almost invisibly. I dutifully sat down at my desk, preparing for a nice hour of shameless staring. At my _boyfriend_. Boyfriend, it still sounded good. I repeated it a few more times in my head. Edward Cullen was my boyfriend. I was the luckiest girl in the world.

It didn't escape my attention that he was wearing black again, and I had to keep myself from drooling. He looked exceptionally gorgeous today, and of course all the females in the room were staring at him like zombies… And the best part was: He was all _mine_. He belonged to me. Not to Lauren Mallory, not to some unknown, model-like fiancé that he was hiding at home, but _me._

He started class, and after a few short explanations, he handed out some new assignments and instructed us to quietly read them for ourselves before he would continue. I gave up on concentrating almost immediately, and when I looked up from the sheet on my desk I was met by his intense stare. My stomach flipped, but I managed to give him my most innocent look. His lips were twitching, and he was trying to keep himself from smiling.

I heard Rose giggle softly next to me, and I saw that she was texting under her desk again. Ha! This girl was my muse, my inspiration, I would have to thank her later. I searched my bag for my cell phone, turned off the sound, and started typing a message. Hopefully he had his phone with him.

'_Hmm, you look divine today Mr. Cullen, how am I supposed to concentrate now?'_

I pressed 'send', and watched him closely. He shifted in his chair and subtly searched his pocket. Success! He briefly looked at the screen of his phone, and then looked up, giving me a sexy smirk that made my mouth go dry.

"Tease." I mouthed inaudibly at him, after making sure that no one was watching us.

Now it was his turn to put on his innocent face, and I gave him a mock glare. He turned his attention back to his phone, and I saw that his pale fingers were swiftly flying over the keyboard.

My phone buzzed, sooner than I would've thought possible, and I opened his message.

'_Good, then you know how I feel all the time, you're a constant temptation to me, Miss Swan. For example right now, I want us to get out of here, take you home with me, and kiss those pretty, soft lips of yours until you're begging me to stop.'_

Oh. My. God. A blush crept up my cheeks, and when I dared to lift up my head he was smiling smugly at me.

"I win." He mouthed.

I groaned silently and started texting again.

'_You're evil.' _

He chuckled quietly when he glanced at his phone, and his fingers were moving over the keys again.

'_Yes, and you love me for it. Now be a good girl and read the assignments, or I will have to punish you after class.'_

What the… I gaped at him in disbelief and he was pressing his pouty lips into a line, doing his best to keep his flawless face straight.

I huffed, casting my eyes down and focusing on the assignments for the first time.

Class ended too soon for my liking, and I sighed when the bell rang, announcing that it was time for Spanish.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow." Edward addressed the class. "Oh and Miss Swan, please stay behind, your paper was a true disappointment, we have to talk about that." He added in a serious tone.

I froze and frowned at him, but he quickly dropped his head, not giving me a chance to silently communicate with him. I was pretty sure that I'd done a fairly good job on that paper… Not my best work, maybe, but acceptable at the very least.

"Was it that bad?" I asked once we were alone, half surprised, half worried.

He laughed, showing his perfect teeth. His emerald eyes were sparkling playfully. "No. Your paper is fine, but I needed to find a way to give you your good morning-kiss."

My heart was singing happily as he said the word 'kiss', but my face fell shortly after, when it occurred to me that kissing wasn't the safest idea right now.

"What if we get caught?" I asked warily.

"We won't, love, come on." He said, reaching out his hand to me.

I frowned, not understanding, but complied. I placed my hand in his and he swiftly led me to the back of the classroom. There was a door that I had never noticed before, and when he opened it I saw that it was a supply closet. He gently pulled me inside, and closed the door.

I had to giggle as I looked around the small space. A claustrophobic would die in here, that was for sure. Dusty books and stacks of papers were surrounding us, and it gave me the feeling of two kids who were playing hide and seek.

"Not very glamorous, I know." He murmured apologetically when he read my face.

I shook my head. "Not glamorous, but more than good enough for me."

He grinned widely and leaned in without hesitating, pressing his lips against mine in a fluent movement. I wrapped my arms around him and fervently kissed him back. He tasted of mint and Edward, definitely my new favorite combination.

He pulled back and I let out a sound of protest, causing him to chuckle.

"Sorry, love, but my next group of students should be here any minute, and you have to get to Spanish."

"I know." I huffed. "This is already more than I could ever ask for… I can't believe you're doing this, you're risking your job, Edward."

"I'm being careful… And you're worth it, Bella, stop worrying about me. If I want to take the risk then that's my responsibility… Unless you don't want to do this during school hours... If that's the case, all you have to do is tell me."

"I like the idea of the good morning-kiss… But I don't like the idea of you getting fired because of us." I muttered.

"It'll be alright, love" He said reassuringly.

I sighed. "I wish we could be together without all this sneaking around…"

"The same goes for me… We'll just have to be patient." He said softly, stroking his hand through my hair.

He kissed the top of my head and opened the door of the closet, gesturing for me to go out first. Just as I stepped into the classroom, some students walked in, talking and laughing.

"Alright Miss Swan, it's your job to clean out the supply closet after school, hopefully detention will motivate you to turn in a better paper next time. I'll see you after your last class." Edward said in a firm, loud voice.

I tried to keep my tone serious as I answered him. "Yes Mr. Cullen, I'll be there."

None of the students were giving us a second glance, and I swiftly made my way out of the classroom.

I was flying on my way to Spanish. It was nearly impossible to believe that this was real. The last few days I'd been feeling like my life was one long, everlasting dream, and sometimes I was afraid that I would suddenly wake up and fall back into reality... But as it was I slowly started to get used to all the new developments in my life, and I would make sure to enjoy every second of it.

xxx

After gym class I told Rosalie not to wait up for me, but she didn't really mind, seeing as she had planned to go over to Emmett's place after school. The two of them were going to have dinner and see a movie, and I told her to say hi to Emmett from me.

I darted through the empty hallways, and smiled widely when I entered his classroom.

He was cleaning the blackboard, and he turned around when he heard me come in.

"Ah, Miss Swan, here to clean out the supply closet?" He said in a mocking tone, humor in his eyes.

"Well actually, I came here for my goodbye-kiss." I proposed hopefully.

He chuckled. "Goodbye-kiss?"

"Yes, it's like a good morning-kiss, Mr. Cullen. But it's longer… and more intense…"

"Thanks for filling me in." He responded, smirking at me.

He closed the distance between us, and when he was standing right in front of me I gazed up at him, right into his hypnotic eyes.

"You're welcome… Now who's teaching who?" I joked.

"Hmm, yes, you'd make an excellent teacher, that was one impressive lecture on kissing." He complimented me playfully.

"Would you like a demonstration to go with it?" I blabbed out before I could help myself.

He laughed at my eagerness. "Sure why not, I think it'll make things a lot clearer."

He moved closer to me again, wrapping his arms around my waist and gently pushing me backwards. He didn't stop until my back hit the door, and he reached around me to lock it.

"I think it's a bit safer this way, if you're planning on attacking me." He said in a low, seductive voice.

His tone was enough for me to literally attack him, and I didn't waste any time, wrapping my arms around his neck, crushing my lips against his. It seemed he wanted this as much as I did, for his lips were hungrily moving with mine. I moved my hands into the bronze hair I loved so much, and I made sure my lips stayed connected with his for as long as humanly possible. He deepened the kiss, which was fine with me, and I was glad that his strong arms were supporting most of my weight, otherwise I would've collapsed. I groaned in irritation when I was forced to break free because I was in desperate need of that stupid thing called oxygen.

He was watching me with amusement, and slowly shook his head in mock disapproval. "You're like a junky, if it weren't for the fact that you need to breathe, you would superglue your lips to mine, am I right?"

"You're as bad as I am, Mr. Cullen." I bluffed.

He feigned a glare, but soon after, a smile broke across his face. "Yeah, you're right, I'm crazy about you, Miss Swan."

Without a warning he scooped me up into his arms, carrying me to the desk, bridal style. He sat down in the office chair, placing me on his lap. I snuggled close to him and rested my head against his shoulder. I mindlessly played with the collar of his shirt, wishing that I could take him with me to a deserted island, or another planet, maybe.

"Take me home with you, Edward." I pleaded after a short silence, looking up at him, armed with a pair of puppy eyes.

He frowned slightly, and a small dimple between his eyes became visible. "I wish I could take you home with me every day… Hell, if it were up to me you would be moving in with me tonight, I hate to be away from you…"

"Then why can't you?" I probed. I brought my hand to his face, carefully smoothing out the small crease between his brows with my index finger.

His face relaxed slightly, but he let out a small sigh. "Because people will start to notice it when you're hanging around at my place all the time… It's a small town, rumors spread like the plague here... We could try for once a week… or something like that. I don't want to risk our relationship, love."

I nodded in understanding; of course he was right. Stupid, godforsaken town with too many bored, old ladies who didn't have anything to do but gossip, all freaking day long.

"How about Saturdays?" I suggested, thinking that it would be a disaster to survive a whole weekend without him.

"Yes, that's what I was thinking, too." He agreed. "Not seeing you for two long days would be the death of me."

I grinned as he voiced my thoughts. "Junky."

"The pot reproaches the kettle..." He murmured, rolling his green eyes.

"It's a tie, we're both equally pathetic." I allowed.

He snorted. "That sounds about right. So Saturdays?"

"Yes… And maybe I should walk to your place, it's only a fifteen minute walk, and my truck is sort of an eye catcher." I refined the strategy.

"I could pick you up." Edward offered, seeming offended at the thought of me walking.

"A little walk won't kill me, I'm not made of glass, Edward." I complained.

"I know… I only want to take good care of my girlfriend." He said quietly, nuzzling his face against my neck.

"And you're doing a terrific job, you're a model boyfriend." I assured him, taking one of his hands in both of mine, stroking it gently.

"A boyfriend who can't even take you out on a date, or properly introduce you to his parents." His voice was muffled by my neck, and his breath caressed my sensitive skin, making me shiver.

"Oh please, Edward, stop beating yourself up over that. I knew what I was signing up for, and I'm not complaining."

"I don't deserve you." He whispered, before brushing his smooth lips against my neck.

I let out a shaky breath, and he continued mercilessly, slowly kissing his way up until he reached the soft spot under my ear. My breathing became erratic, and I closed my eyes as I tried to concentrate on taking deep, steady breaths. He kissed a line along my jaw, and when he reached my lips he briefly paused.

"One last kiss, love. Around four someone from the cleaning staff usually comes in."

I sighed in disappointment, but I was quickly distracted when he brushed his lips against mine. This was _so_ worth it. Only six months… it was _nothing_ compared to the amazing life I was sure we were going to have once I had graduated…

* * *

_Thanks for reading… Dare I say it? Aah what the hell; new update tomorrow. :p See you then!_


	15. Invitation

_Hey everyone! :D_

_Thanks for all the great reviews; _**Sweettwilightvamps13, Bemine101, x NON SEQUITUR x, Jm1708, Lizardastra, Lisa, RoshyVolturi, Porkkana, Yourbestfriend, SuperSayjinPanny, Rosaa, JillWithTheVampiresx, Lizzy, Avery Shane, Thari, MareenCullen', JustAmber, Gnomegirl13, Klutz586, Lauren, Lolly, Roanna95, Xtina316, Sprinter1, J5girl31012, Krazykoto, AutumnOtts, Texbratt67**_ and _**She Isn't Here!**_ :D Wow, thirty reviews for chapter fourteen, you guys are getting better and better every day! xD *Hands out more free, digital Edwards*_

_And of course; Thanks for the year's supplies of sweets and drinks, Lizardstra, thanks for the cookies and the Toblerone, SuperSayjinPanny, thanks for the SneakyEdward, Rosaa (yay, I'm going to play with him after this is posted xD), thanks for the black suits to dress up my Edwards, Thari, thanks for the garden salsa sun chips, Klutz586, and thanks for the campfire s'mores, AutumnOtts! :D_

_To Lauren: I can have whatever I want? Hmm, let me think about that for a while, I'll get back to you. :p_

_To Jm1708: Funny that you should ask about Jacob, it so happens that he makes an appearance in this chapter!_

_To Yourbestfriend: Lol, no, I'm afraid there won't be any lemons, this is rated T for a reason. :p Partly because all my stories are rated T, and the main part of my target group isn't looking for that, and also because I'll probably suck at writing lemons. :p_

_To Lolly: Aahw, I'm glad you like my idiotic author's notes. :p_

_To AutumnOtts: I don't want to give away too much, but let's just say that something comes up to prevent that Bella and Edward will have to sneak around for six entire months... But I won't tell if it's a good thing or a bad thing. :p All of you will have to wait and see. _

_The same goes for everyone who asked if they will get caught, and by who. :p I'm not giving away anything, so I guess you will all have to be patient. :p _

_Okay, so I hope everyone will like what I have in store for them next, because I think they deserve a break after all the sneaking around. xD Have fun!_

* * *

**Invitation**

It was around five, and I was sitting behind my slow, prehistoric computer. The apartment was oddly quiet with Rose gone, and I had put on some music. The CD that Edward had sent me, to be exact. It was on repeat, I could listen to that song forever.

I was currently typing an email to my mother, Renée, who lived in Phoenix with her new husband, Phil. I felt a little guilty for neglecting her the last couple of weeks because my thoughts had been too preoccupied with Edward, and so I wrote an extra long email. I told her about living with Rose, about my grades, and a mild version of the problems with Jacob. Of course I couldn't tell her about Edward, and it bothered me that I couldn't even inform her about the most important person in my life right now. Alas, it would have to wait, I couldn't take the risk of her freaking out.

Just as I was contemplating what else to write her, my cell phone suddenly started to ring, nearly giving me a heart attack.

Edward's name flashed on the screen, and I smiled widely.

"Hey you." I said when I answered the phone.

"Hello, am I speaking to the most beautiful girl in the world?" He replied in a charming tone.

As if on cue I flushed crimson, and I was thankful that he couldn't see me. "No, I think you dialed the wrong number, sir." I said matter-of-factly when I could speak again.

"Silly girl. You should learn how to take a compliment." He muttered. "Hey… are you playing my music?" He added in surprise.

I mentally slapped my forehead when it occurred to me that he could hear it playing in the background. "Ehm, yes. I play that song a lot, actually."

He chuckled softly. "Aren't you tired of it by now?"

"No, I don't think I'll ever get tired of it… And sometimes I play it when I can't sleep… It helps me go to sleep." I confessed.

He laughed a quiet, enchanting laugh. "I made some new demos last week, I'm feeling very inspired lately… If you want I can send you the MP3s, that way you'll have some variation."

"Yes, I would love that, Edward!"

"Sure, just give me your email address and I'll send them tonight."

I gave him the address and we talked for a while. He asked me what I was doing and I told him about my mom. He said that he knew exactly how I felt, seeing as he was dying to introduce me to Carlisle and Esme. After that we rolled into a playful, lighthearted conversation, but at some point he turned serious all of the sudden, and from what I could tell, even a little nervous.

"You know actually, Bella, I had a reason for calling you." He started.

"Oh, do tell." I prompted.

"I told Alice, about us… I hope you don't mind."

"I don't mind, Edward. To be honest, I think she knew before we did, she already called me her future-sister-in-law the first time she saw me, at Emmett's party." I stated dryly, letting out a snort.

Edward also laughed a short laugh. "Yeah, that's my sister, I'm sorry about that…"

"It's fine… Is that all? Because in that case you can stop worrying." I assured him.

"Well, there's more… You see, Alice thinks that maybe we could use a break, and she invited us to stay with her and Jasper in Port Angeles this weekend. I know it's not much, but it's a nice touristic town, and there's a beach… It would be a great opportunity to escape Forks for a few days, and we won't have to look over our shoulders the entire time. Not to mention, Alice is dying to spend some time with you… Look if you don't want to, we don't have to go, it's just an offer..." He rambled agitatedly.

"Are you kidding!" I exclaimed enthusiastically, cutting him off. "Hell yes! You bet I want to go!"

"Really?" He asked, his tone triumphant.

"Yes! I can't wait!"

"Alice will be thrilled when I tell her." He said, the smile evident in his voice.

"Thank her from me." I told him.

"I will… I'm going to call her now. I'll see you tomorrow at school, love. We'll go through the details about the Port Angeles trip later."

I sighed in pure bliss. "Yes, I'll see you tomorrow... Tell Alice I said hi."

"Certainly... I'll see you tonight in my dreams. Until then, love."

This guy made all the cheesy clichés work, and I was smiling so widely that my cheeks were starting to hurt.

"See you… Bye, Edward." I said dreamily before hanging up the phone.

I wanted to jump up from my chair and do a happy dance, but came to the conclusion that it was a bad idea. It would be just my luck to fall down and end up in a hospital bed this weekend, instead of going to Port Angeles with Edward. I was truly looking forward to it, not only because I would have some alone time with him, but also because I was eager to see Alice and Jasper again.

I quickly finished my email to Renée, and when I checked my inbox I saw that I already had an email from Edward.

_**From:**__ Edward Cullen  
__**To:**__ Isabella Swan  
__**Subject:**__ Present for my everlasting source of inspiration_

_Here it is, love, more compositions that I hope you'll enjoy. You're my biggest inspiration, and I guess also my biggest (and obviously only) fan, therefore you get to listen to some music that I've never shared with anyone else before. Maybe later you can tell me what you think. _

_Forever yours, Edward_

I pitied myself; a silly email from him was enough to create a tingling feeling in my stomach, I was so pathetic. I opened the attachment with MP3files, and immediately copied them to my beat-up MP3player. I hardly ever used the thing, but I had a feeling that I would be using it more often from now on.

Since Rose would be eating with Emmett I decided to make some pasta for dinner, quick and easy, and I listened to his music while doing so. It was truly beautiful, unlike anything I'd ever heard. I wondered if it was just me, or if other people would be affected by his music the same way I was. If the latter were the case, he was wasting his talent, that much I could tell. It was amazing, the kind of music that made me shiver in a good way.

Eating alone in the quiet kitchen wasn't very appealing, and I sat down at the dining table in the living room, partly watching some show on TV while I ate my spaghetti. I was peacefully chewing my food, until I was interrupted by a loud buzzing sound, which was produced by the doorbell.

I was irritated, but got up anyway and sprinted to the speaker, pushing the red button.

"Who is it?" I called curtly.

I heard a deep sigh. "It's me." Jacob's voice said.

I groaned in annoyance. "Oh for god's sake, won't you just give up already, Jake? You know Charlie wasn't kidding when he said…"

"No, no!" He interrupted me in a panicked voice. "I'm not here to push you, Bells. It's just… I figured out that I'd rather be just friends than not be a part of your life at all… Please, Bella… we've been friends for such a long time… we used to make mud pies together… "

Aargh no! Why did he have to make me feel guilty… I had to admit that I missed him, too. The old Jacob, that is to say. The new obnoxious, pushy version I could do without. But no matter what, the old Jacob had to be in there somewhere… He had been my friend for most of my life, and it wasn't so easy to simply push that aside.

"I don't know, Jake…" I whispered, unsure.

"Please, Bella, trust me…" He pleaded.

_Trust him… Now there's a good one._

"Listen… can you really blame me for not trusting you, after what you did to me a few weeks ago?" I asked, my tone a little colder than I'd intended.

"No Bells… I don't blame you at all, that was… I'm sorry, I still can't believe I did that… But please, give me a chance to make it up to you." He tried again.

Why did I have to be such a hopeless pushover? I cursed myself for the umpteenth time as my index finger hovered over the green button.

"Promise me you'll behave." I commanded firmly.

"I promise, Bells, I won't say a wrong word, and I won't touch a hair on your head." He swore sincerely.

"Fine." I muttered in defeat.

I pressed the green button, creating an important moment in the history of this apartment. Today would forever be remembered as the day that Jacob Black actually made it past the front door for the first time. Good thing that Rose wasn't here, she would kick him in the shins before he would even have a chance to hang up his coat.

I opened the door, and a grinning Jacob came into sight.

"Bells!" He exclaimed in relief. "It's so good to see you."

"Don't make me regret this." I warned him one last time.

He rolled his eyes. "A little trust, please. It was one mistake… What's that compared to ten years of close friendship? I'm still sorry I did it, Bella, I am… I guess I was desperate…" He was mumbling the last part of his apology, clearly ashamed.

"You're forgiven… Just don't try anything funny." I muttered.

"Nothing funny, I promise." Jake repeated seriously.

"Good. Hey, do you mind if I finish my pasta first?" I asked, making my way back to my dinner and gesturing for him to follow me.

"No, not at all." He said in a lighter tone, falling down in the chair across from me.

There was an awkward silence at first, and we were both gazing at the television as I ate the remainder of my food, in an attempt to avoid directly looking at each other. I wasn't sure what to say to him, and the uneasy expression on his face told me that he was experiencing a similar problem.

"So, how's life? What are you up to lately?" Jacob finally asked, breaking the silence.

I dropped my fork on my plate and shrugged. "Same old same. School, homework, hanging out with Rose… How about you?"

"The same, I guess. I still hang out with Quill and Embry most of the time, and at the moment I'm trying to fix up an old motorcycle." Jake replied.

As he talked his hands were mindlessly playing with my MP3player, which was still lying on the table next to my empty plate, but I tried to ignore it.

"Wow, seriously? Riding a motorcycle, huh? Cliff diving wasn't exciting enough anymore for you?" I joked, referring to all the extreme sports that Jacob was interested in.

"Yeah… I have to try something different every once in a while." He answered, grinning at me.

I pressed my lips into a disapproving line. "Are you trying to get yourself killed?"

He made a face. "You're worrying about nothing, Bells. I can take care of myself, nothing bad ever happened, so far."

I sighed and shook my head in defeat, giving up. Jacob would be Jacob.

At this point, his fingers were playing with the ear buds that were attached to the MP3player, and when he saw me looking he smiled up at me.

"What are you listening to nowadays?" He asked conversationally, not waiting for a response and putting one of the ear buds into his ear.

"You won't like it!" I blurted out hastily, holding up my hands. For some reason, the idea of Jake listening to the music that Edward had never shared with anyone other than me, bothered me to no end.

He shrugged and pushed the play button, his face slowly turning into a mask of disgust as he briefly listened to Edward's music.

"Jeez, Bells. Classical music? How can you stand listening to this crap for longer than five minutes." He asked in horror.

I squinted my eyes at him, and tried to suppress my anger. "It so happens that I love this 'crap', Jake." I snapped icily. _And I also love the man who is the composer of this crap,_ I added in my head.

"Wow, sorry, no need to get all defensive." Jake muttered. He frowned at me, but handed me back the MP3player.

I bit my lip as I realized that there was nothing rational about me freaking out over Jake disliking a piece of classical music, and I composed myself before he would get suspicious. "You're right, I'm sorry for snapping at you… I'm a little tense lately, that's all."

His face turned worried. "Not because of me, right?" He questioned anxiously.

"No, it's just… school and stuff, some difficulties with trigonometry class, it's only stress." I lied. Well, not a complete lie, I did suck at trig.

"Ah school and stuff…" Jake slowly repeated my words. "Now that you mention school… That teacher, the one who, you know, saw us when I… I mean, did he cause any trouble? Call the cops or something?" He added nervously.

"No. I told Edwa- I mean Mr. Cullen that I didn't want the police involved, and I asked him to let it go."

"Oh, thanks, Bells… But regardless, I hadn't expected that he would let it go that easily." Jacob said, surprised. "I thought he was going to attack me, that day… He looked rather angry."

I couldn't contain a loud snort. "Yes, Mr. Cullen has problems with his temper sometimes." I said darkly.

Jake arched his bushy eyebrows at my statement, but I dismissively shook my head, and to my relief he didn't pry.

We talked some more, and luckily the conversation was lighter now; most of the awkwardness had vanished. Both Jacob and I had relaxed a bit, and for the first time in ages, it almost felt like the old days again. Almost, because I was going to need some time in order to forget what he had tried to do to me... However despite that one, disturbing memory, the atmosphere wasn't that bad. That was _until_ I heard a key turning in a lock, and Rose stepped inside.

Her eyes widened the second she spotted Jacob, and she walked up to him, taking large, determined steps.

"Uh oh." I heard Jake mutter under his breath.

"How did you get in here?" Rose spat at him in astonishment, coming to a stop directly in front of him, crossing her arms and impatiently tapping her foot.

Jake flinched and turned to me for help, giving me a wary look. Rosalie could truly be scary if she wanted to.

I helped him out, guiltily raising my hand. "I let him in, it's alright, Rose, he apologized."

"He apologized?! He nearly molested you a few weeks ago, and now you're letting him in again! God knows what that moron could've done to you, are you insane?! You have way too much faith in people!" She ranted, talking like Jacob wasn't even there.

"I've known him for ten years of my life, I know he meant it when he said that he would behave from now on." I argued.

"Still! Being alone with him in a private place…" Rose started, but she stopped in the middle of her sentence, tiredly throwing her hands up in the air.

"Okay… I should go now." Jake said quietly.

"Ha! Finally something smart comes out of his mouth, call the newspaper! Never expected that I would live to see the day when he would actually make a wise decision!" Rose muttered angrily to herself.

"Yes, you should go." I said in agreement, walking Jake to the door to let him out.

"Can we hang out some other time?" He asked when he skipped out of the room, Rosalie's menacing scowl never leaving him.

"Sure, but let's talk about that later." I hinted, cocking my head in Rosalie's direction as she continued to glare daggers at him.

"Right, later. See you later, Bells." Jake said, giving me a swift smile before he disappeared down the stairs.

I slammed the door shut and smiled guiltily at Rose.

She rolled her eyes at me, but her expression softened shortly after. "You are too good for this world. I can only hope you aren't going to regret this, girl… I don't trust him and I don't want to see you get hurt."

I sighed and smiled at her. "I know Rose… And I'll watch my back, I promise."

She returned my smile before unleashing her infamous hug attack on me, and I concentrated on not choking.

"You watch your back, then I'll watch Jacob's." Rose promised while patting my back. "But please, next time you hang out with him, make sure to pick a public place. And if it's just you and him, at least tell me, or your dad, or Edward, that you're with him." She begged.

"I will… You're right, that wasn't the smartest plan in the world." I admitted, knowing that my intuition might as well have been wrong.

On the other hand, nothing bad had happened, and at least now I had new hope that I could smooth things out with my friend…

* * *

_Thanks for reading! :D Yeah, who gives a shit about headaches, new update tomorrow. ;)_


	16. The Great Escape

_Hey folks! :D_

_Thank you for the awesome reviews; _**x NON SEQUITUR x, Lisa, Amber, Mrs. Bella-cullen-in-my-dreams, HealThisHeartbreak, Jm1708, Heal my bleeding heart, Thari, Alix-09, Maren, Roanna95, Lizzy, Rosaa, Gnomegirl13, TwilightLover2010, RoshyVolturi, J5girl31012, AutumnOtts, Kikio1010, Avery Shane, Sprinter1, Lauren, She Isn't Here, GreekgodEdward**_**,**_**Texbratt67 **_and_** Tejaswi! **_:D You guys are my motivation to keep writing! Love you all! :D_

_And also, thanks for the Ben&Jerry's Amber, thanks for the skittles, coke and celebrations, Heal my bleeding heart, thanks for the hot!outfits for my Edward, Thari, thanks for the digital Rosalie (Yay, she will come in handy! xD) and detention!Edward, Maren, thanks for the best-friend-Jacob (Hope my Rosalie isn't going to kill him xD), Rosaa, and thanks for the skittles, AutumnOtts!_

_To Lisa: Cool, let me know if you were right after this is finished! :D_

_To Amber: This is your lucky day, a lot of Edward today. ;) _

_To Jm1708 and Texbratt67: Yeah, no need to worry, just the regular headaches from the writing/thinking/staring at the screen/lack of sleep. I always get sort of carried away when I'm working on a story. xD It's pathetic, I know, I'm taking this waaay to seriously. xD_

_To Thari: You've now officially won the longest-review-award! :p Oh ja, en ik ga natuurlijk nog even nadenken over wat voor outfits ik allemaal nog meer wil! xD Lol, die mensen daarboven zullen zich wel afvragen wat dit voor vage geheimtaal is. :p _

_To Tejaswi: Writing a chick lit… I'm afraid I'm not that good. xD Writing is easy enough as long as you don't have to make up your own characters. ;)_

_General announcement to everyone who's wondering: From what I can tell at this moment, I'm guessing there are going to be at least twenty-one chapters. It's a guess, so don't shoot me if I'm wrong. :p_

_By the way did anyone see the new Vampire Diaries episode yet? I loved it. xD [/random]_

_Alright, moving on to the story! A few very fluffy chapters are coming up, you all be warned! xD _

_Have fun!_

* * *

**The Great Escape **

It was around nine in the morning, and I was darting around my bedroom like a whirl wind, at the same time throwing random clothes and other objects into my suitcase. The past two days had been pure torture, but Saturday had finally arrived and Edward would be here in twenty minutes. I had just taken a shower, but I hadn't finished packing yet, so I did a last-minute attempt to gather all the stuff I needed for this weekend, hopefully without forgetting something.

Edward and I had made up a waterproof story just in case someone would see us on the way to Port Angeles: I was a good friend of Alice, and seeing as Edward was her brother he was simply giving me a ride. No one would be suspicious if I told them that my old, rusty truck was having technical issues. Everything would work out fine… Or at least I hoped so.

I was almost done packing, and all that was left to do now was getting dressed.

"Have you seen my blue blouse, Rose?" I yelled in the general direction of the kitchen.

"Nope, I'm sorry Bella, haven't seen it." Rose called back. "Not like it matters, I doubt if Edward will care what you're wearing, even if you would wear a used garbage bag."

"Funny Rose! I can at least make an effort to make myself look a little less plain." I huffed.

"The way Edward looks at you, I'm positive that he doesn't find you plain at all." She shot back at me.

I quietly laughed at her unconditional support. She had been ecstatic, the moment I had told her that I would be spending the weekend with Edward in Port Angeles, and it was good to know that I could always count on my best friend's enthusiasm.

I searched my messy closet one more time, and suddenly noticed a piece of blue fabric somewhere in the sea of clothes.

"Ha! Found it!" I exclaimed, snatching it out of my chaotic closet. I would have to clean this thing out someday soon.

I got dressed, threw some last articles into my suitcase, and closed it with some difficulties. I dragged my luggage out of my room and across the apartment, dumping it next to the front door. I went back to the kitchen to quickly grab a bowl of cereal, and I sat down at the kitchen table next to Rose, who was also swallowing down some cereal while reading the newspaper.

"Do you have everything?" She asked, looking up from her paper.

"I think so… I've got the most important things."

Rose smirked at me.

"What?" I pressed.

"Nothing… You're literally glowing, I haven't seen you this happy since… Come to think of it, I've _never _seen you this happy before." Rose mused, smiling serenely.

"You don't feel the need to kick Edward's butt anymore?" I asked dryly.

"Nah, not really, maybe I should thank him instead. You can do the butt-kicking from now on." She said suggestively.

I rolled my eyes at her. "You pervert."

We were both laughing as the doorbell rang, and I smiled widely.

"That's him!"

I half-ran to the door, not even caring that it was pathetic.

"Edward?" I called as I pressed the red button.

"The one and only." His amused voice answered.

I pushed the other button to let him in, and when I opened the door I saw him coming up the stairs, smiling brightly at me. As soon as he reached me he greeted me with a sweet kiss on the lips, and that was enough to make my heart go in overdrive.

"All ready?" He asked.

"Yes, just let me get my suitcase." I replied with a grin.

Edward was watching me as I dragged it away from the hallstand, and he chuckled. "What did you pack? It's two days, not two weeks, you know that right?" He teased me.

"Yeah, yeah, make fun of me why don't you." I grumbled in a mock offended tone.

"I'm sorry, love." He said, composing his pretty face. "Why don't you let me carry that?"

"I can carry my own suitcase." I argued.

"I'm not saying you can't, I only want to help you out, love." He offered again.

"Don't be so difficult, let the man carry your suitcase." Rosalie's voice came from behind me.

"Fine!" I gave in.

Edward smirked. "Thank you, Rose."

She grinned back at him. "Anytime, if she's being stubborn again, just make sure to be more stubborn than she is."

"I'm right here, folks." I reminded them.

"Oh, right." Rose said, feigning surprise. "Alright, you guys have fun this weekend!"

"That won't be a problem." Edward assured her.

We said goodbye to Rose, and Edward carried my luggage down the stairs. He dumped it in the trunk of his Volvo, and took me by surprise when he walked over to the passenger side. I threw him a look of confusion, but he simply opened the door and he smiled at me, gesturing for me to get in.

"Your face is betraying your shock, Bella." He remarked, the hint of a smile around his lips.

My cheeks were resembling the color of a lobster. "I didn't know that there were still men in existence who open doors for a girl." I admitted in a small voice as I got into the car.

"That must mean that you've never met a man with good manners, before." Edward said as he kneeled down next to me.

I raised my eyebrows, wondering what his next step would be, when he leaned in, reaching behind me and buckling me in. I heard the dull 'click' from the seatbelt, and he leaned in again, swiftly brushing his smooth lips against mine before pulling back.

I pouted at him but he shook his head. "We're still in Forks, love. Later."

He got up and gently closed the door, walking around the car and sliding into the driver's seat. He started the engine and backed out of the small parking space. As soon as we were out of the street, I had an odd feeling of freedom. We were going to escape this lame, gossiping town for two days, and that thought was very comforting.

We made it out of Forks in a matter of minutes, and I let out an euphoric "Ha!" as we drove past the sign that said _'You're leaving Forks, have a safe trip'_.

Edward laughed. "What was that, love?"

"Nothing… That was me being extremely grateful to get away from here."

"Not very fond of Forks, are you?" He concluded.

I shrugged. "Not since I met you… The good people of Forks should be minding their own business, but they're all so bored with their stupid, little lives that they rather stick their noses into someone else's. "

Edward laughed again at my little rant. "Hmm if it's any consolation, this weekend, we'll be one step ahead of them." He said, reaching out to take my hand, and lightly squeezing it.

"Yes!" I agreed, beaming at him. "Take that, nosy people of Forks!"

He grinned at my obvious enthusiasm, and I snuggled closer to him, resting my head against his shoulder while tightly holding on to his hand.

Edward was clearly not fond of driving slow, so the ride didn't take very long, and before I knew it we were driving through the streets of Port Angeles. After a few minutes Edward pointed out the little fashion shop that was owned by Alice. It was small, but looked really stylish; not that I would've expected anything less from Edward's fashionable sister.

He parked the car, and told me that Alice's and Jasper's apartment was right next to the store. The shop was still closed, but we got out of the car, and Edward walked up to the plain, black door next to the display window, which I assumed was the entrance to the apartment. He rang the doorbell, and in a matter of seconds the door swung open, revealing a bouncing Alice.

"Bella!" She squealed.

I didn't even get a chance to reply, for she attacked me with a hug. She squeezed me tightly, cutting of my air supply; how someone so tiny could be so strong was beyond me.

"What am I, chopped liver?" Edward said, playfully scowling at his sister.

"Aahw, are you feeling ignored, brother dear? I'm sorry." She responded, releasing me and also giving him a hug.

"That's more like it." He said, ruffling his sister's spiky hair.

We made our way upstairs, where we were greeted by Jasper.

"Hey Edward, Bella! You're both sober this time, right?" He said, a smug smile on his face.

"Hey Jasper! I'm always sober, why don't you ask Mister My-sister-wants-to-take-over-the-world?" I suggested.

Jasper let out a loud snort at my comment, and Edward glared at him.

"Jeez, Jazz, it's nice to see you, too. Thanks for reminding me, at least it's good to know that I still have a girlfriend who's on _my_ side." Edward responded sarcastically, also feigning a glare at me now.

"Aahw, I'm sorry, baby. That wasn't nice of me." I said in a mocking tone.

Jasper and Edward continued to tease each other, and I curiously scanned my surroundings. The apartment was spacious but not ridiculously huge, and as expected, the interior was stylish, all the furniture matching perfectly. It was in two words 'Very Alice'.

"Why don't I show you guys to the guestroom." Alice proposed, clapping her hands.

"Sure." I said, smiling at her. Her enthusiasm was contagious.

I followed her as she disappeared through a small passageway on the left, and Edward was right behind me, carrying both our suitcases. I had given up on arguing over who carried the suitcases, and he looked satisfied.

"This is it." Alice announced, opening a door to our right, showing us a nicely decorated guestroom with a rather large bed in the middle.

I smiled hugely at her. "Nice, thanks, Alice!"

"You're more than welcome… Well I have to open the store, so why don't you guys get settled, and maybe after that Bella can come downstairs so I can show her my precious little shop." Alice replied sweetly, giving Edward the puppy eyes.

Edward merely rolled his eyes at her, and his expression was practically telling her to shut up.

"Oh come on, brother dear, I only want to borrow her for an hour or so." She pleaded, the adorable look permanently plastered on her face now.

"I'd love to see your shop." I volunteered, unable to resist Alice's pleading expression.

"Why do I even bother…" Edward muttered, holding up his hands in defeat.

Alice smiled widely. "That's settled then! See you downstairs, Bella."

Edward made a face as she left the room.

"It's unbelievable how a small pixie like Alice can have so much energy." He stated exasperatedly. "Just ignore her if it gets too much."

"Don't worry, Edward, I adore your sister." I said as I took my own suitcase and placed it on the bed to start unpacking.

He followed my example, picking up his own suitcase and placing it on the bed, but he suddenly froze in his tracks, and a wary expression flashed across his face.

"What's up?" I asked curiously.

He seemed to be deliberating for a second, but then he smiled tentatively at me."You can have the bed, love, I'll take the floor."

I frowned at him, giving him a skeptic look. "It's a big bed, Edward, I'm pretty sure we'll fit, I'm not that fat." I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"You're sure you don't want some privacy?" Edward asked uncertainly.

"Privacy?" I repeated, making it sound like it was a disgusting word. "And miss the opportunity to sleep in your arms? Besides, it's not like I haven't slept in your bed before." I reminded him smoothly.

"That was an accident, I wanted to make sure that you're alright with it." He clarified.

"Silly Edward." I murmured, neglecting my suitcase and wrapping my arms around his neck. "For your information, I loved sleeping in your arms, it was the best night of my life."

I was rewarded with his sexy smirk. "Really? That's a good thing, seeing as I loved having you in my arms."

He leaned in and lightly brushed his lips against mine, causing an army of butterflies to explode in my stomach. He wanted to pull away, but I wasn't having that, and I stood on my tiptoes, forcing his face closer to mine again. His green eyes widened slightly, but he willingly kissed me back when I started to move my lips against his. He started off slowly, but his lips were soon becoming more urgent. I played with the locks of messy hair on the back of his head, which were slipping through my fingers, and he moaned softly.

He briefly broke the contact, but before I could protest he gently pushed me back until I was forced to fall down onto the bed, on the empty space between our suitcases. He was hovering over me, giving me an adorable smile, and I grabbed the collar of his shirt, pulling him closer to me again. He complied and brought his lips back to mine again, kissing me passionately until my breathing became shallow.

He gave me an opportunity to get some air, releasing my lips, moving down to my throat. His heavenly lips were kissing a line down to my collarbone, and I was taking deep, ragged breaths.

"If you're marking me again I'll kill you." I warned him in a trembling voice when he started to kiss his way back up.

He chuckled against my flustered skin. "I'm sorry about that, I couldn't help myself, I had to let Mike Newton and the rest of the world know that you were already taken." He whispered against my pulse point.

By now I was sure that he could actually _feel _my misbehaving heart.

"Hmm, Edward?" I breathed.

"Yes, love?"

"Please don't ever stop."

He laughed, and I felt how his lips left my skin. I whimpered in protest, but it only made him laugh louder.

"You promised Alice that she could give you a tour of the shop." He reminded me.

"Oh… right." I groaned as my brain was gradually restarting itself.

He smiled crookedly and planted a small kiss on my lips.

"I already love this place." He said sincerely.

"I love this _bed_." I added, not completely able to keep myself from blushing.

He smiled, giving me another kiss, this time pressing it against my forehead. "I love _you_."

_He said it again! _

I love you, too, Edward, so much." I whispered.

He sighed in contentment and dropped his head, resting it against my chest, listening to my erratic heartbeat. My hands automatically made their way into his hair, and I soothingly stroked through his silky locks.

"We can't lock ourselves in this room forever, can we?" I checked to make sure.

He lifted up his head, looking up at me from under his lashes, giving me a half-smile. "How I wish we could, my Bella."

His admiring gaze made me melt, and I grinned back like the lovesick schoolgirl I was. I reluctantly tried to sit up, knowing that Alice would come back and drag me downstairs if I didn't show up soon.

"I'm going to make Alice happy." I said.

He helped me out, getting up from the bed, and reaching out his hand to me. I gladly took it and he lifted me up, not letting go until I was solidly standing on my own two feet.

"Have fun, I'm going to catch up with Jasper in the meantime... I'll take you out to lunch." He promised, pecking me on the lips.

"Lunch… sure." I repeated, dazed by the overwhelming bliss that was surrounding me right now.

This was going to be the best weekend of my life, no doubt about it…

* * *

_Thank you for reading! :) New update tomorrow! *Bravely fights the breakdown* xD_


	17. Alone Time

_Hey guys! :D_

_Thank you so much for reviewing; _**Thari, Lizzie, Lizzy, Sweettwilightvamps13, Maren, Rosaa, Heal my bleeding heart, Lolly, SuperSayjinPanny, Gnomegirl13, RoshyVolturi, Marijne, Jm1708, Lauren, Avery Shane, Uniqueuchenna, DJ, Corki17, Alligatorpie, xostaybeautiful, Witchykitty1313, AutumnOtts, She Isn't Here, Ghostbunnieseatcheese**_**, **_**Sprinter1, HiddenInTheWords **_and_** J5girl31012!**_ I can't say anything other than; You people are the best! :D _

_And also; Thanks for more sexy outfits for my Edwards, Thari, thanks for the Jasper, Lizzie, thanks for the creativity Rosaa (that's a really good gift :p), thanks for the hug and the Jasper-poster, Heal my bleeding heart, thanks for the Toblerone, M&M's, Emmett and Jasper, SuperSayjinPanny and thanks for the truffles, (I love those!) AutumnOtts! :D_

_To Lizzie: Aahw I'm sorry for you, that sucks! *Gives a big hug* Sure, you can have an Alice, I'm positive she'll be able to cheer you up. ;)_

_To Sweettwilightvamps13: Lol, I'm not going to give that away, yet, sorry. :p _

_To Rosaa: Don't worry about the rambling, I don't mind. :p And honestly, I would be a hypocrite if I did mind, because I ramble all the time. :p_

_To RoshyVolturi: If I have a breakdown it will be because of this story. :p So I guess the answer is no. xD But no worries, the story will be finished, the only difference is that the last few chapters possibly aren't going to be daily updates. _

_To Lauren: Aahw, *Gives a hug* Hope you'll feel better soon. :) But it's nice to hear that this story is cheering you up!_

_To DJ: De Nederlandse verhalen zijn geen Twilight, maar Harry Potter, en ze zijn echt heel slecht qua taal en grammatica enzo, dus als ik die ooit al ga uploaden, ga ik ze eerst helemaal opnieuw moeten editten, en daar heb ik op dit moment helaas geen tijd voor. ;)_

_To Ghostbunnieseatcheese: Is it working? Hmm, I'm trying, but the fact remains that I am in desperate need of a break._

_To HiddenInTheWords: Welcome back. :p And thank you for catching up! ;)_

_To everyone who's wondering where the story will go from here: I'm not giving away anything. :p_

_To everyone who's worried about me: Don't. xD It's my own fault, when a story is floating around in my head, I just want to get it out. xD It just has to come out right, and it doesn't always work that way. Also, this story is slowly crawling towards the end, and I need a little more time to make sure that all the loose ends are tied up, and that the last part of the story has the same quality as the first part. ;) So I want to ask all of you to have some patience with me, thank you!_

_Okay, more fluff! Enjoy!_

* * *

**Alone Time**

'_Alice's World of Fashion.'_

I grinned as I read the simple, black letters on the display window. I entered the store, which was still quiet, and Alice, who'd been busy filling in a form behind the counter when I came in, dropped everything and enthusiastically dashed in my direction.

"And… what do you think?" She asked, spreading her arms, gesturing to the store.

"Wow, Alice, it looks amazing." I answered sincerely as I looked around.

Even though it was a considerably small store, there were plenty of clothes, shoes and accessories, and the place had a modern interior. I wasn't much of a shopper myself, but even I could tell that this was a true paradise for diehard shoppers.

"Thanks!" Alice squeaked, smiling radiantly. "Feel free to look around and see if there's anything that you like, I'll give you a hundred percent off because you're practically family." She gushed.

I arched an eyebrow at her. "A hundred percent off? I'm not falling for that, I don't want to have anything for free, Alice. And to tell you the truth, I'm not really a shopaholic."

Alice gasped in shock. "Well I'm going to change that! Shopping is so much fun, you don't know what you're missing! And by the way, you need a nice outfit to wear when the four of us go out to dinner tonight, something that will make my brother drool."

"Dinner?" I asked, puzzled.

"Yes! I've already planned it, we're going to the fancy, Italian restaurant across the street!" She announced excitedly.

"Oh, Edward didn't tell me."

"That's because he doesn't know, yet, silly." Alice exclaimed, talking as if that were the most obvious thing in the world. "Come on, let's find you an outfit!"

"Alright… but I want to pay for it." I insisted.

"Fifty percent off." Alice negotiated.

I sighed. "I'm not getting out of this, am I?"

"Not a chance." She confirmed cheerfully as she started to search the racks with clothes.

I gave up, and watched her as she picked out several articles of clothing. My sense of fashion was somewhere near zero, so I figured that it would be best if Alice advised me. Suddenly she let out a small shriek and grabbed my wrist.

"You have to try this one, he'll love it, I'm sure!" She said, holding up a dark-blue dress.

"I never wear dresses." I admitted, trying not to sound horrified.

"Well you do now, go try it on!" Alice commanded. "Trust me, you'll love it."

I warily gazed at the dress, but didn't dare to ignore Alice's command, and I reluctantly headed for the dressing-rooms.

It took me longer than it would've taken most girls to put on the dress, but once it was on, I saw that it fitted perfectly; Alice had immediately picked out the right size. When I had finally gathered the courage to sneak a look at the mirror, I discovered that the dress actually looked sort of nice on me. It accentuated what little curves I had, and it showed some skin, but not too much. The deep shade of blue contrasted nicely with my pale skin, and to my own surprise I liked the dress.

"Do you need any help?" Alice called from the other side of the curtain.

"No, I'm fine." I responded, opening the curtain and smiling at her.

"W-O-W! You look amazing, Bella! Poor Edward is going to have a hard time tonight, keeping his hands to himself." Alice said, an evil grin around her lips.

"Poor Edward heard everything, you little pixie." His velvety voice suddenly sounded from behind us.

I blushed furiously as he walked into the area with fitting-cubicles, but I didn't miss that his eyes widened and turned darker as he looked me up and down.

"Aargh, you ruined all the fun! You weren't supposed to see the dress until tonight's dinner." Alice grumbled at her brother. "We're going to the Italian restaurant across the street, in case you're wondering." She filled him in when he looked confused.

We were interrupted by the sound of voices, and Alice smiled. "Customers, I'm sure you can handle it from here." She said, winking at me before skipping out of the dressing-room area.

Edward smiled his uneven smile and did a step toward me."Bella you look… You're the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." He said softly, reaching out his hand to softly caress the side of my exposed neck.

I leaned in to his touch, closing my eyes for a moment, and he caught me off guard when he brushed his lips against mine without a warning. I smiled, reacting automatically, throwing my arms around him as I kissed him back. I protested when he pulled back and he watched me with amusement.

"Does this mean you like the dress?" I asked unnecessarily, putting on my most innocent face.

He smirked at me, taking another quick look at the dress. "I like it very much… Now dress back before I am too distracted to take you out to lunch." He said in a husky voice.

"As you wish, Mr. Cullen." I said in a teasing tone, pressing one last kiss against his chiseled jaw before getting back into the cubicle.

I was slightly shocked. Me, feeling comfortable in a fancy dress… That was a first. And I had no doubt that it had something to do with the smoldering looks Edward had given me while I'd been wearing it...

xxx

After we'd had a delicious lunch at a cute little lunchroom, Edward suggested that we'd take a walk along the beach. I was all for it, and right now we were making our way through the moist sand. It was November, far from the high season, which meant that the beach was quiet and deserted.

Edward was making fun of me as I clumsily stumbled through the sand, and I scowled at him.

"We can't all be as graceful as you are, Edward. If you truly were a gentleman you would help me out!" I shot at him.

"Gladly." He replied promptly. "All you had to do was ask."

I raised my eyebrows at him, but his only response was a smug smile. And then he gently grabbed me around the waist, lifting me up into his arms. I locked my arms around his neck as he held me, bridal style.

He leaned in to whisper in my ear. "Better?"

"Much better."

He started walking and I gaped at him.

"You're not seriously going to carry me the whole way, are you?"

He chuckled. "No. I was aiming for that bench over there." He said, pointing at an old wooden bench that was standing at the edge of the beach.

We reached the bench and he carefully placed me on the cold, rough wood. He sat down with me, and I began to lean closer to him, but before I could effectively close the distance between us, he helped me out, wrapping his arms around my waist and lifting me into his lap. He kept holding me in a tight embrace, and gently rubbed my shoulders.

"Precaution. We don't want you to get cold." He murmured, his warm breath blowing against my hair.

"No we don't." I agreed, snuggling closer to him and resting my head against his chest.

"No regrets? About coming with me on this trip, I mean." Edward asked.

I snorted in disbelief. "You're seriously asking me this?"

He shrugged. "Just checking, after all, it's the first time that we're together for an extended period of time, chances are you will get bored of me."

I laughed at his absurdity. "You're nuts, Edward. I'll never get bored of you, I'm afraid you're in this for life. Which is too bad for you, seeing as there's a very likely chance that it's the other way around, and that _you_ will get bored of _me_." I warned him.

"No way." He stated in an earnest tone, burying his face further in my hair.

My eyes fluttered closed in contentment, and I inhaled deeply, taking in his heavenly scent.

"Are you sniffing me?" He asked incredulously, his tone playful.

And there it was again, my famous imitation of a tomato. "I can't help it if you smell nice." Was my lame response.

He laughed that musical laugh of his. "Then I'm glad you think so… You don't smell so bad yourself… Very edible." He joked, leaning in some more and moving his lips against my jaw.

"Edible? What are you, a vampire? You just had lunch, you creep." I complained, lightly smacking his arm.

"Hmm, that doesn't matter, I'll have you for dessert." He purred.

His tempting lips resumed their task, moving back and forth along my jaw line. He paused when he reached the sensitive spot under my ear, giving it some extra attention, and I involuntarily let out a soft moan.

"Ah, you like that spot, huh?" He observed.

"God, yes." I admitted, since denying was useless anyway.

He smiled against my skin, and then I felt how he lightly sucked on it.

"No marks." I panted, warning him again.

"No marks." He clarified.

He removed his lips from my skin, and I groaned at the loss of contact.

One of his strong hands cupped my cheek, and he forced me to look at him. His green eyes found mine, and I swore I saw my own happiness reflected in them.

"Junky." He accused me, grinning smugly.

"Yeah, I might as well admit it, I'm addicted to you."

"As I am addicted to you, love." He whispered back as he already started to lean in for another kiss…

xxx

"Oi! Bella! We've all picked something, have you picked anything, yet?" Alice asked in a loud voice.

"I think I need another minute." I muttered weakly.

We were sitting at a cozy table in the Italian restaurant, which had turned out to be as fancy as Alice had described earlier. I was currently staring at the menu, and I pretended to be very busy with studying the various dishes on it, while I was in fact trying not to spontaneously combust. Edward was sitting next to me, and his hand was resting on my knee under the table. Needless to say, that was an enormous distraction, and picking out food was the last thing on my mind. His fingers were slowly massaging my kneecap through the thin material of the dress now, and I turned my head to glower at him.

"Edward!" I hissed.

"Yes, love?" He asked, successfully faking innocence.

"Never mind." I huffed, sneakily putting my hand over his, lacing my fingers through his and keeping his hand still.

He chuckled and quirked an eyebrow at me, but I turned my attention back to the menu, ignoring him.

"Were you planning on picking something today?" Jasper asked, amused.

"Yes!" I said, picking the first thing on the menu that caught my eye. "I'll have the mushroom ravioli."

As if on cue the waitress appeared, and she smiled warmly at us. A little too warmly at Edward, if you asked me, but I guessed that it was the price you had to pay when dating a Greek god. She took our order, and stalked off to the kitchen.

"So Bella, how are you liking Port Angeles so far?" Jasper asked, grinning suggestively at me.

"You can't even imagine, it's a blessing to escape Forks for a while. Really, thank you both so much." I said gratefully.

"Anytime." Alice sang. "And you're always welcome here, Bella, I love having you around."

"Are you trying to steal my girlfriend?" Edward joked.

"Busted, Alice. He's on to you." Jasper said with a straight face. "It's on her list, right next to 'taking over the world'." He added, using a conspiratorially tone.

"Oh god." Edward groaned in frustration. "This is going to follow me around for the rest of my life, right?"

Jasper smirked. "Totally."

Edward was all but pouting, that cute endearing expression on his face again, and I couldn't resist pressing a light kiss against his cheek.

"Gross, get a room, you two!" Alice said playfully.

"Oh believe me, we will when we get home." Edward promised, causing Alice to roll her eyes, and causing my heart to skip several beats.

We didn't have to wait long for our food, and the ravioli was impressive. I truly enjoyed the rest of the evening; The food was good, hanging out with Alice and Jasper was a lot of fun, and Edward was holding my hand the entire time.

It was also a plus that we merely had to cross the street when we went back to the apartment, full and satisfied.

"Does anyone want a drink or anything?" Alice offered as we all stumbled back into the apartment.

"No." Edward answered before I could say a word. "I need some alone-time with my girlfriend, so I'm going to kidnap her."

"You know that kidnapping is considered a crime, right?" Jasper teased his brother-in-law.

"Call the cops." Edward said dismissively.

He turned to me, giving me a tempting smile and scooping me up into his arms.

"Edward! I can walk." I shrieked.

"Oh I know that, but this is way more fun, don't you agree?" He replied as he uninterruptedly carried me in the direction of the guestroom.

"Goodnight, and have fun!" Alice called after us, her voice thick with implications.

"It's not what you think, Alice." I yelled back defensively in a reflex.

I heard her mutter a 'yeah right', and I gave up.

We entered the room and Edward placed me on the bed, softly kissing my forehead, before going back to close the door. He returned in a heartbeat, and I smiled up at him as he sat down next to me.

"Sure you don't want me to sleep on the floor?" He checked one last time.

"If you even _try_ to sleep on the floor, I'll drag you right back to the bed." I threatened.

He smiled unevenly. "Alright then… I'll give you some privacy to get changed." He said, swiftly kissing my cheek and getting up.

He darted out of the room, and I grabbed my toothbrush, tank top and matching pajama shorts, relieved that Rose had talked me into buying something that was a bit more flattering than my holy T-shirt and sweatpants.

I walked into the tiny bathroom next to the guestroom, and I quickly changed and brushed my teeth, eager to get back to Edward. When I stepped back into the bedroom, he was already there, and he was just putting on a shirt to sleep in. I got a good view of his perfect abs before he pulled it down, and I grinned maniacally.

To my embarrassment he had noticed it, and he smirked at me. "Like what you see?"

I blushed and nodded.

"Although I adore your blush, there's no need for you to be ashamed… You're my girlfriend, you're allowed to look." He reminded me in a serious tone.

"I know." I mumbled. "It's still hard to believe."

"Well you'd better believe it. I'm going to brush my teeth and when I get back, I'm all yours." He said sweetly, stroking through my hair and skipping out of the room.

I sighed happily, falling down onto the bed and crawling under the covers. He was back before I had time to miss him, and his green eyes were sparkling when they landed on me. He sat down on the bed, also sliding under the covers, and I was smiling like a lunatic.

He playfully nudged my arm and I turned my head so I was facing him. I shyly looked at him before letting out a snort, and he rolled his eyes.

"Come here, you silly girl." He said, opening his arms to me in a welcoming gesture.

He didn't have to ask me twice and I complied instantly, snuggling close to him.

"Comfortable?" He asked.

"Hmm." I managed to mumble, completely content, wrapping my arms around him.

It wasn't until now, lying safely in Edward's arms, enveloped by his warmth and his appealing scent, that I realized how tired I really was from all the stressful events that had taken place the last few weeks. I started to doze off in a matter of minutes, and my eyelids were feeling heavy.

"Too bad you don't have the song to help you go to sleep, huh?" He murmured, his lips brushing against my hair as he spoke.

"I love the song, but I'd pick you over the song any day." I said while trying to suppress a yawn.

"How about you get to have both?" He proposed.

"Why? Did you… bring it?" I was getting more and more sleepy, and my brain was rather cloudy at this point.

He chuckled. "No. But I can sing it."

"You're seriously… going to… sing me to sleep?" I slurred.

He didn't say another word but softly started to hum the familiar tune, and my heart was singing with joy.

"Edward…" I mumbled.

I wasn't even sure what I wanted to say to him, there were no words to express how I felt.

"Shht. I know… Sweet dreams, my Bella." He whispered, his hands soothingly stroking my back.

"Good… night… Ed… ward."

The last thing I heard was his beautiful voice singing the rest of the song, and then I slipped into a deep, serene sleep.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! :D I will TRY to update tomorrow, but I can't promise anything yet. ;)_


	18. Reality Catching Up

_Hey there! :D_

_Thanks for all the wonderful reviews; _**Lizzie, Corki17, HiddenInTheWords, Avery Shane, Alligatorpie, Lisa, Dhampirbina, Rosaa, MrS. LuTz-PaTtInSoN, SuperSayjinPanny, Ballerbabbi44, Jm1708, RoshyVolturi, Lizzy, Thari, Twilightlover2010, SooRetrox, HealThisHeartbreak, AutumnOtts, Lolly, Sprinter1, J5girl31012, Lauren **_and _**Maren!**_ *Gives everyone a big hug* I love you guys! :D And for Lizzy, an Edward to give her a foot massage! :p_

_And of course; Thanks for the hug, Lizzie, thanks for the mushroom ravioli (xD), HiddenInTheWords, thanks for the painkillers and PerfectBoyfriendEdward (Yay, he will be a great distraction :D), Rosaa, thanks for the Toblerone and all the posters, SuperSayjinPanny, thanks for the leather jacket to dress up my Edward, Thari, and thanks for the homemade chocolate covered cherries (Hmmm), AutumnOtts! :D_

_To Lizzie: Well look at that, here I am, updating, keeping you sane. :p_

_To Dhamphirbina: Lol yeah, you might have mentioned that you love me. :p I love you guys too! =D_

_To Jm1708: Yeah, that's me, worrying. *Guiltily raises hand* But thanks! And you have a nice Sunday, too. ;)_

_Okay, I'm sorry people, this is going to be the last daily update. I really need a small break from all the writing, and other than that, I have to work tomorrow. I solemnly swear that I will upload chapter nineteen as soon as possible. I just need a little more time to write the last parts of the story, and I can't keep up the daily updates without the last chapters being thirty different kinds of crap. I hope everyone understands. _

_Moving on, chapter eighteen, have fun! :D_

* * *

**Reality Catching Up**

I woke up feeling very comfortable. And warm. Extremely warm. I slowly opened my eyes, and immediately spotted the source of the warmth. Edward was still sound asleep, and still clinging to me as if his life depended on it, his arms tightly holding me against his chest.

His face was smooth and relaxed, his lips slightly parted. He looked so beautiful, and I tried to resist the urge to touch his face, because I didn't want to wake him up…

I lost the fight. One little touch wouldn't wake him, right?

I reached out my hand and lightly traced his perfect nose. I moved on to his high cheekbones, and from there my fingertips made their way to his strong, defined jaw. I saved those inviting lips for last, lightly skimming my fingers against the soft skin.

He stirred a little, and I stopped my actions, quickly withdrawing my hand. His grip on me tightened momentarily, before he slowly opened those glorious, green eyes.

"I'm sorry." I mumbled. "I couldn't resist…"

He didn't seem to mind, though, for he smiled crookedly at me. "It's alright… Good morning, beautiful." He whispered.

"Good morning, Edward." I whispered back.

Did I mention how much I loved this man? My heart spluttered hyperactively.

He gazed at me, his stare almost fascinated, and then he frowned as he looked down, realizing that he was still holding me in an iron grasp.

"Oh… I'm nearly suffocating you, I'm sorry." He murmured, his arms loosening around my waist.

I grinned at him. "Do you hear me complain?"

"I guess not." He answered my rhetorical question, a small smirk on his face. "Did you sleep well?"

"Never slept better in my life." I told him truthfully.

"Ditto."

Since he was already awake now, I figured it would be okay to continue the touching. My hands traveled back to his face, and from there they moved into his soft, copper colored hair. He was watching me intently as I ran my fingers through the mess of hair repeatedly, and his smile grew wider and wider.

"That's enough, I want my good morning-kiss now. The fact that we're not at school doesn't mean that we should skip that tradition." He said after a long moment, pouting at me.

"Hmm, but if we really want to stick to the tradition, that means that you would have to give me detention first, Mr. Cullen. Otherwise, you can't have your kiss." I reminded him.

"Now that you mention it." He mused, suggestively raising his eyebrows at me. "I'll show you detention, Miss Swan."

Before I knew what he was doing his arms were snaking around my waist again, and he lifted me on top of him. I let out a small cry of surprise, and then the evil bastard started to tickle my sides, not even giving me a chance to recover.

"That's… not… fair…" I gasped out through fits of laughter.

"You wanted me to punish you!" He stated smugly as he proceeded his torture.

"Okay, okay! You win." I surrendered. "One good morning kiss, coming up."

"That's more like it." He said, his green orbs shining with victory.

I slowly lowered my head, teasing him a little, getting back at him, but again he beat me, taking me by surprise as he gently grabbed my arms and pulled me down.

"Edward! You're a cheater!" I complained.

"Cheat this." He purred, lifting his head up slightly and brushing those wonderful lips against mine.

His hands tangled themselves in my hair, making sure that I couldn't escape him. Not that I wanted to escape him, I wished we could stay like this forever. His lips were slowly moving against mine, creating the familiar sensation that I loved so much. We kissed until I started to feel dizzy, and I gently pulled back. I settled for snuggling again, and his hands were gently stroking my back as I comfortably rested on his chest.

I suddenly recalled the fact that there was a chance that my annoying sleep-talking habit had bothered him during the night, and I decided to ask. "Did I talk?"

He chuckled. "Maybe."

I groaned. "Oh no, I've heard enough. That means yes, doesn't it?"

I lifted up my head to look at him when he didn't answer right away, and a huge smile was plastered on his face.

"What did I say?" I pressed.

"You really want me to make you blush again?" He asked, quirking one of those perfect eyebrows.

"That bad…" I said, letting out another groan of frustration.

"I'm only teasing you, love. You said nothing out of the ordinary… Although there was a 'kiss me, Edward', which proves how addicted you truly are to my kisses, even in your sleep." He told me in a mocking tone.

I sighed in relief. "At least that's nothing new, you already knew that."

He smirked and brought his hands to my face, placing them on either side, forcing me to come closer to him, in order to steal another kiss.

Sadly, we were interrupted by a loud tap against the door, and Edward's lips left mine as he sighed in frustration when Alice's energetic voice sounded from the other side of the door.

"Good morning, sleepy heads! Are you guys awake yet?" She called in a chipper tone.

"No, we're very much asleep." Edward growled at her.

"Ah good." Alice replied, and the door flew open with a smack.

"Alice!" Edward exclaimed angrily. "Have you ever heard about that thing called 'privacy'?"

"Wasn't that a place in Europe?" Alice said, a mock thoughtful expression on her face. "But wow, I can see that I'm interrupting." She added, gaping at us.

I realized that I was still lying on top of him, and I let go of him, rolling to my own side of the bed, causing Alice to laugh at me.

"Too late, Bella, I already saw that you were trying to molest him." She sang.

"Urgh." Was my only response.

"So did you have a purpose, barging in here?" Edward asked, scowling at Alice.

"Yes, I came to tell that breakfast is ready in thirty minutes!" She announced.

"Ah, alright, thank you." I answered as I sat up and did a pitiful attempt to smooth out my impossible hair.

"See you guys in thirty minutes." She chirped.

She slammed the door shut, and we heard her bouncing out of the hallway, in the direction of the living room.

"Ignoring her isn't an option." I concluded, rather than asked.

"Nope." Edward confirmed flatly, also sitting up.

I nodded in defeat. "Alright, let's make the pixie happy."

"Don't we always." Edward muttered. "Hey, do you mind if I take a shower?"

"Not at all, I could use one myself."

"Do you want to go first?" He offered.

I shook my head. "No go ahead, I'm not really a morning person, I could use ten more minutes to start up." I confessed.

"Ah, bad mood in the morning, huh… In that case, I'll leave you alone." He said, laughing.

He got out of bed and collected some clothes and toiletries before disappearing through the door that led to the small bathroom.

I mindlessly stared out of the window for a few more minutes, before I slowly got out of bed. I searched through my stuff for my own toiletries and something to wear, and when I checked my cell phone I saw that I had a text message from Rose. She asked me if I was having fun, and I texted her back to let her know that this was the best weekend of my life.

Just as I pressed the send-button, I felt his arms snake around my waist and I gasped in surprise.

"Sorry, love, did I startle you?" He breathed in my ear.

I turned around in his arms, and to my shock he was wearing nothing but a pair of black boxers. His hair was still dripping from the shower, and he smelled even more divine than usual.

"Not at all." I replied sarcastically. "Are you trying to kill me, Edward?" I added, referring to his half-naked, freshly-showered body.

"Never." He said, amused.

I hesitantly placed my hands against the upper half of his chest and he gave me a questioning look. My hands were itching, but I wasn't sure what to do. Was I allowed to touch that impressive six-pack? I figured I was…

Out of nowhere he answered my unspoken question. "You can touch everything you want."

That wasn't the first time he'd done that, could this guy read minds? I blushed a little, but composed myself quickly.

"Everything, huh?" I said dryly.

He rolled his eyes and pursed his lips. "You know what I meant."

"Yes I did."

My hands slowly moved down his chest, and I tried to keep them steady as I traced the planes of his perfect abs. He shivered a little and I abruptly moved them back up again, guessing that he didn't like it.

"That was a good shiver." He told me when he saw my disconcerted expression.

"Oh…" I responded dumbly. "So are you working out, Mr. Cullen?" I joked.

He grinned at me. "Sometimes, yes."

"You're pretty." I blurted out.

Why did I always tell him my every thought without thinking about it? This was so humiliating.

Despite my not-so-intelligent remark, he smiled warmly at me. "You're pretty, too." He murmured, pulling me closer to him again and kissing the top of my head. "Now get your pretty head into the shower before the pixie comes back and drags us to the kitchen."

"Right, beware of the evil pixie." I said, making a face and gathering my stuff.

Edward chuckled. "Oh yeah, she's pure evil. Take your time, love, I'll see you downstairs." He said, lightly kissing my lips one last time.

I beamed at my amazing boyfriend, and reluctantly left the room to take a shower. When I entered the bathroom I took a brief look in the mirror before I stepped into the shower, and it made me wonder why on earth he wanted me… I was still the same, plain girl, with boring brown hair and boring brown eyes… I couldn't understand why someone like Edward would even be remotely interested in me, but regardless, I thanked the heavens that he seemed to disagree with me…

xxx

Alice had prepared a wonderful breakfast, and after that she proposed to have a lazy movie-day, which, according to her, entailed watching DVDs and eating lots of chips and popcorn. Edward had given me the choice, and he had offered that we could also do something together if I'd rather wanted to be alone with him. I loved being alone with him, but Alice and Jasper were very nice company, and I had no idea when I would see them again, so I agreed on the movie-day.

I didn't regret my decision, seeing as cuddling with Edward on the couch wasn't exactly a punishment. He did make it kind of hard for me to concentrate on the television, because he was constantly whispering sweet things in my ear. Not that I minded, he was more interesting than any movie could ever be.

It was a very relaxing Sunday, and around five Edward and Jasper left to get some Chinese take-away so Edward and I wouldn't have to return to Forks with empty stomachs. Alice and I stayed at the apartment, and to my surprise Alice used the opportunity to have a serious talk with me.

"So how's it going with you and Edward? With all the sneaking around, I mean." She asked as we were both impassively gazing at the ending credits that were rolling over the television screen.

I shrugged and turned away from the screen to give her a smile. "It's going… I mean it gets frustrating sometimes, obviously, but it's more than worth it."

Alice returned my smile and nodded. "Oh I couldn't agree more, it _is_ worth it."

I raised my eyebrows in confusion.

"I've never seen my brother this happy before, Bella. That means a lot to me." She explained.

"Oh… but did he never… you know, have a girlfriend before?" I asked, stumbling over my own words.

Alice let out a short laugh. "Oh, he has had some girlfriends, nothing serious, though… But perhaps the question should be; 'Has he ever truly been in love?' And then I would have to say no… not until he met you." She said, winking at me.

I smiled radiantly at her. "The feeling is mutual." I said quietly.

"Yes, I can see that." She teased me. "God knows what you see in my boring brother." She said in mock astonishment.

"He's not boring!" I argued.

Alice snorted. "That's because love makes blind! When you really think of it, he's the biggest nerd on the planet. He's an English teacher for crying out loud! Not to mention he plays the piano."

I knew she was only joking, but I felt a natural urge to defend him. "If he's a nerd, at least he's the hottest nerd I've ever encountered! And for your information, I love his music."

She grinned at my defensive behavior, but after a moment she turned more serious. "Yeah, he's pretty good with the piano… At least he used to be, I haven't heard him play in ages. He doesn't bother anymore to share his music with his beloved family. Can you believe it?" She said sourly.

"He doesn't?"

"Nope." She said, popping the p. "Quite frankly I'm surprised that he played for you… He loves playing the piano, but sharing his songs… not so much. Which is a shame, he truly has a talent."

"Yes he does… I guess he's just insecure, I get the impression that for some reason he doesn't seem truly convinced of his own qualities as a musician."

"Yes, and that's too bad, he's missing an opportunity to do what he really wants to do." Alice said, sounding a little frustrated.

"I know… We had a talk about it a while ago, but he thinks being a teacher is a more steady career." I said, making quotation marks in the air as I said 'steady career'.

Alice rolled her eyes. "That sounds like him… And of course I can see his point, but sending out a few demos to see if anyone is interested wouldn't kill him."

"No it wouldn't." I agreed.

"Well, never mind, it's his choice." Alice stated in a final tone. "So has he shared a lot of songs with you?" She asked conversationally.

"He sent me several songs." I admitted. "He even claims that one of them is inspired by me." I added in a dismissive tone. It was still hard to grasp that I had inspired something so beautiful.

"Now you've made me curious." Alice complained.

"Sorry… But you know… I still have an email in my inbox that I could accidently forward to you, as long as you don't tell him." I told her in a mock conspiratorially tone. Surely his own sister was allowed to hear some of his songs, she was sincerely supportive… Where was the harm in that?

Alice grinned widely. "Cool, I won't tell! You're my favorite future-sister-in-law!"

"I'm your _only_ future-sister-in-law." I muttered dryly.

She pouted at me. "An insignificant little detail."

The look on her face reminded me of Edward on that night when he'd been wasted, and I guessed that it was a Cullen-thing. I snorted and Alice's face twisted out of the pout as she laughed with me.

I heard stumbling on the stairs, and a few seconds later Jasper and Edward both marched into the room, carrying various plastic bags.

"Did you girls miss us?" Jasper asked cheerfully.

Alice and I exchanged a look and we both broke out in laughter again.

"That answers that question, they had a lot of fun without us." Edward said, feigning hurt.

"No, we did miss you guys, but we were so busy doing girly stuff! You know, painting each other's nails, telling each other our darkest secrets." Alice said nonchalantly.

"Yeah, what she said." I backed her up.

"Brrr, girly stuff, I don't want to hear about it." Jasper pretended to shiver in disgust. "Come on, let's eat so I can forget all about it!"

xxx

I stared out of the window of the silver Volvo, and I couldn't deny that I was on the edge of sulking. We were driving away from Port Angeles, back to dreary, old Forks. This was it, back to reality, and I was dreading every second of it. From the second we had said our goodbyes to Alice and Jasper and stepped out of the apartment for the last time, I knew that it was over. We were back to hiding and sneaking around, and it was such a disappointment after two carefree, uncomplicated days.

"What are you thinking, love?" His voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Nothing, just admiring the beauty that is Forks." I lied, covering it up with some heavy sarcasm.

He sighed. "You're unhappy… It didn't live up to your expectations?"

"What? No!" I exclaimed when I realized what he was saying. "Are you insane? I loved it, Edward, every second. I just don't… want to go back. I want to… Aargh, I don't know what I want…" I rambled.

I felt how the back of his hand stroked my cheek and I leaned in to his touch, gazing up at him.

"I know what _I_ want." His silky voice sounded.

"What's that?" I asked, frowning slightly.

"To be with you forever." Was his simple answer.

His green eyes were sparkling with sincerity, and my heart melted. For the millionth time he had rendered me speechless… I briefly wondered how my heart was capable to love one person this much.

"I love you, Edward." I mumbled.

"You're the whole world to me, Bella... And it's less than six months now before we can let the whole world know."

He was right, less than six months, why was I even complaining? I had found the most perfect man in the world, I would gladly wait for him forever if that was what I had to do in order to keep him, so why was I whining about a few stupid months?

I cracked a smile at him. "You're right… But I'm going to miss this." I said, waving my hand at the two of us.

He smiled one of his adorable half-smiles back at me. "Me too, love, more than you can imagine."

I tightly held on to his hand for the remainder of the ride, and when he parked the car in front of my building, I reluctantly let go of him.

I wanted to get out, but he gently grabbed my arm. "Stay where you are, I can still open the door for you… It's merely showing some good manners."

I grinned. "I suppose…"

He got out and walked over to my side of the car, opening the door and holding out his hand to help me out. I placed my hand in his and got out of the car, but I was unable to resist placing a last, tiny kiss on his lips.

"We can't do that, love." He whispered against my lips, his tone sad.

I quickly pulled back and nodded. "I know, I'm sorry."

He slowly made his way to the back of the car, and opened the trunk. He lifted out my suitcase and handed it to me.

"Thanks." I said softly.

Edward insisted on walking me to the door, and it wasn't until then that I saw him, hiding in the shadows of the tiny porch in front of our building. Jacob Black, his face strained and his eyes shooting with anger. My stomach started to turn and I instantly felt nauseous. Busted. This was bad, _bad_ news. And somehow I felt like I had known all along that something like this was bound to happen… Reality had finally caught up with us.

* * *

_Thank you for reading! :D I promise I will try my best to update soon._


	19. Complications

_Hey guys! :)_

_Wow, over thirty reviews. O_o Thank you so much; _**Jrow1107, SooRetrox, Heal my bleeding heart, SuperSayjinPanny, Lisa, HealThisHeartbreak, Lizzy, Rosaa, Ghostbunnieseatcheese, She Isn't Here, Mrs. Bella-cullen-in-my-dreams, DB. 1994, Dhampirbina, Sprinter1, Uniqueuchenna, JillWithTheVampiresx, Lil miss bella cullen, Porcelain-Shadow, Lizzie, Sweettwilightvamps13, Alix-09, Thari, Jm1708, Corki17, HiddenInTheWords, ShikaGirl1990, Lauren, Mysterious Jae, AutumnOtts, Texbratt67, Porkkana,****Lolly, Amber, Maren, TwilightQandA, J5girl31012, Avery Shane, xostaybeautiful **_and_** Ecullenwho!**_ I can't thank you guys enough! :D_

_And also; Thanks for the Alice, M&M's and Edward's music, SuperSayjinPanny, thanks for the Jasper, Rosaa, thanks for the angry Jacob and light sabers (xD), Ghostbunnieseatcheese, thanks for the loofah (rofl xD), Thari, thanks for the cookie, HiddenInTheWords, thanks for the white chocolate/macadamia fudge, AutumnOtts, and thanks for the at-the-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time-Jacob (Uh oh), Maren! And Lizzy, feel free to keep Edward! :p_

_To SuperSayjinPanny: I'm not sure how many chapters there are going to be, my guess right now is around twenty-two, but like I said, it's a guess. As for the updates, it all depends on how much time I have, I'll always try to be as fast as possible. ;)_

_To everyone who wants to kill Jacob: You guys are very original when it comes to making up ways to take Jacob down, they cracked me up. xD_

_To Jm1708: Thanks! Yeah, I'm a little more relaxed now, the trick is to keep breathing. :p_

_To ShikaGirl1990: No, I'm afraid it won't go past Bella's graduation. ;)_

_To Amber: Lol, no, I don't think anyone is interested in doing my job for me. :p_

_To Mysterious Jae: Wow, that is one awesome review! :D Thank you so much. I think it's only fair if I answer some of your questions in return. ;) Maybe more people are wondering about this…  
You were wondering about Edward's mood-swings during the library-scene; Edward is definitely not an arrogant bastard, he's simply struggling with his feelings for Bella here. He wants to be the adult and make sure that their relationship doesn't go past student/teacher, but on the other hand he doesn't want to let Bella down because he does have feelings for her. He isn't sure what to do, and that was his way of showing Bella that he does want her, without saying it in so many words. The same goes for the scene where he's jealous of Mike; Even though Bella isn't interested in Mike, Edward is confronted with the fact that someday, she will come across a boy that she does like, and say yes, and it's killing him, that's why he momentarily loses it.  
You were also wondering if SexualFrustration!Bella will make an appearance. :p I'm afraid not, and I'll tell you why: The Edward in this story isn't some sex-crazed idiot, but he's also not the type of guy who insists on waiting until after marriage or something like that. It would be very out of character for him to say no if Bella pushes him, and since I want to keep this story T rated, that would be a problem. :p Hope you understand. But anyway, thanks! I'm glad you think it's well written, seeing as English isn't my first language and I'm not always too happy with my own writing. xD_

_And also, this is meant for all of you: The whole story, including the ending, has been in my head from the moment I wrote the very first chapter, and I can only hope that you'll all be able to live with the outcome. xD It's just so weird, I started writing this just for fun, with the idea that it would be a miracle if I had like, ten readers, and then out of nowhere it becomes my most popular story ever. ^^" I guess I wasn't prepared for that, and I just hope that I won't let anyone down. xD_

_Wow, these notes are getting longer every time, and still I have the feeling like I didn't answer everyone. xD Never mind, if you still have questions/etc. feel free to send me a message or stalk me on Twitter: www(dot)twitter(dot)com/Shirley86__

_That being said, here's a new chapter, have fun! :D_

* * *

**Complications**

My heart was violently pounding in my chest, and I harshly grabbed Edward's arm, trying to get his attention. He hadn't noticed Jacob yet and seemed completely oblivious as he questioningly looked down at me.

"What is it, Bella?" He asked, confused.

"Jacob, over there." I choked out, cocking my head in Jake's direction.

Edward followed my gaze, and he cursed under his breath. "Shit. That's not good."

Jacob did a few steps in our direction, all the while glaring at us with squinted eyes.

"Jake…" I started, unable to keep the hysterical edge out of my voice. "We were… This is not…" I stumbled.

"Not what it looks like?" Jake sarcastically finished my sentence, his tone angry.

"No, Jake, we just…" I tried again, but failed miserably. It didn't matter what I told him now, he wasn't retarded, he knew exactly what was going on between me and Edward.

"Please give us a chance to explain." Edward surprised me by helping out. He sounded calm, collected, and I was pretty sure that he was making a great effort to do so. Surely he hadn't forgotten about that time when Jake had nearly molested me.

Jacob scowled at Edward. "Explain? I think I have a fairly good idea what the two of you are doing. You're such a hypocrite, first you're telling me to leave her alone, and then you seduce her yourself!"

Edward didn't sound calm anymore when he spoke again, his voice was drenched with suppressed anger. "There's a significant difference between our situations, seeing as Bella _wants_ me to kiss her, out of free will."

"You're sick." Jacob all but yelled at him.

I found my voice again, and did another attempt. "Listen Jake, I know what you saw, but Edward's telling the truth… Edward and I…"

"He's your teacher, Bella!" Jacob interrupted me bluntly. "You're dating your teacher! Now I see why you weren't interested in me, dating a teacher is a lot hotter, of course."

"Oh come on, Jake, that's not fair!" I objected. "I told you I only wanted you as a friend the first time you asked me out, when we were sixteen! I didn't even know Edward back then."

"Maybe it would be wise for us not to have this discussion here." Edward hinted.

"You're right." I agreed with him, suspiciously glancing around the street.

"Why not? I have nothing to hide!" Jacob snapped.

"What were you doing here anyway?" I asked, trying to buy some time, hoping that one of us would come up with a solution.

Jake was briefly distracted and he shrugged. "I came over to see you, and Rosalie had just told me off when I saw you arriving with _him_." He practically spat out the word 'him'.

"What the hell is going on here!" Rosalie's furious voice suddenly echoed through the empty street, and all three of us looked up in a reflex.

We had all been too caught up in the conversation to notice her marching out of the front door, taking long, confident strides.

"Rose!" I exclaimed. "I think you can guess." I added in a lower voice.

"Yes, I can see what the problem is." She said in a dry tone. "Not like it matters, Jacob won't tell." She threatened in an icy voice.

"I won't?" Jacob challenged her, matching her cold tone.

"Not if you want to stay in one piece." Rose hissed.

"I'm done with your threats, you stupid wannabe-Barbie!" Jacob barked at her.

"Oh no, you didn't!" Rose yelled, preparing to launch herself at him.

I grabbed both of her arms and shook my head. "No Rose, this won't solve anything." I warned her.

"How about this…" Edward suddenly said thoughtfully. "Perhaps this didn't occur to you, but you owe me, Jacob Black. I'll keep my mouth shut, if you do the same."

Jacob gaped at him, and so did I, for that matter.

"What are you talking about? I owe you nothing." Jake growled.

"Yes, you do." Edward replied confidently. "I could've called the police, the day that you tried to force yourself on Bella, but I didn't because she asked me not to. I would never go against her wishes, because unlike you, my first and foremost concern will always be Bella's happiness. However the fact remains that I can _still_ inform the police about your little mistake, if that's the only way."

"Then I'll tell them that you are dating one of your students." Jake retorted smugly.

Edward shrugged dismissively. "It would be your word against mine. Besides, is that what you want for Bella? Both of us ending up in jail?" He asked.

Jake narrowed his eyes at Edward but looked slightly defeated, and then he turned to glower at me. "What the hell do you see in him? What has he got that I don't have?" He demanded.

I sighed and bit my lip, deliberating for a minute, but in the end I knew that there was only one honest answer to Jacob's question...

"I love him, and I could never live without him. It doesn't matter what you do, I will never leave his side. If you spread the news and he gets fired, I'll still stay with him. If he ends up in jail, I will be there every day to visit him… That's what it comes down to Jake… I want you as a friend, but when it comes to more than friendship, it will always be _him_." I was nearly whispering at the end.

Jacob looked nothing but disgusted. "Will you hear yourself talk? It's probably just a silly crush." He huffed.

I shot him an angry glare. "Oh yes, of course… I'm sure my little crush on Edward is nothing compared to your eternal love for me, but regardless, he is what I want." I mocked him.

"I can't believe you!" Jake snapped.

"Back at you! I can't believe you! We're supposed to be friends, that was what you wanted, right?"

"Some friend." Rose muttered almost inaudibly.

"That was before I knew you were dating that idiot!" Jacob sneered, wisely ignoring Rose.

"That's enough!" Edward hissed at him in a low, menacing voice. "How can you be so selfish? You claim that you love Bella, but at the same time you keep hurting her, over and over again."

Edward had kept a safe distance between us the entire time, but right now he protectively grabbed my hand, firmly holding on to it. I automatically moved closer to him, and I had to resist the urge to cower into his side.

Jacob was gazing at the both of us, his expression unreadable.

"Jake?" I asked when I couldn't take the silence anymore.

"Fine." He growled. "Whatever, you two have fun! While it lasts…"

My eyes widened and I gaped at him. "You're going to tell someone?"

Jake was silent again for a moment, and he continued to stare intently at me, completely ignoring Edward and Rose. "No I won't." He finally said. "But in a town like this, someone is bound to find out…"

He turned around abruptly, and he strode to the other end of the street, where his old Volkswagen was parked.

I frowned at Rose and Edward, both of them warily staring after Jake.

"Thank you!" I called after him.

I thought I saw how he lightly shook his head, but he was too far away, so I couldn't be sure.

"Oops." Rose muttered, whistling through her teeth.

"Oops doesn't quite cover it." I responded shakily as we watched how Jake drove off.

"Let's hope that he keeps his mouth shut…" Edward said tiredly. "I should go now, before we raise any more suspicion."

"Yes…" I agreed reluctantly.

"I'll see you tomorrow, love." He said softly, squeezing my hand one last time before releasing me.

I felt a stab of sadness as he got into the Volvo, knowing that tomorrow, we would be back to student and teacher again.

"This is not your day, is it?" Rose said sympathetically, lightly draping an arm around my shoulder.

"I've had better ones… Although this weekend was amazing." I told her, cheering up as I thought back at the last two days.

Rose grinned. "I want to hear all the details! Come, let's go inside, I'll make you some hot chocolate…"

We went inside, and I dumped my suitcase in my bedroom, deciding that I would unpack it later. Surprisingly, hot chocolate was one thing that Rose could actually make without blowing up the place, and we made ourselves comfortable on the couch with our steaming mugs. I told her every little detail about my weekend in Port Angeles, and her enthusiasm was a good motivation to keep talking. I felt a lot better after our chat, the memories from my time with Edward fresh in my mind again, but I couldn't fully ignore the uneasy feeling in my stomach when Jacob crawled back into my thoughts.

"Rose… Do you think that Jacob will blab about me and Edward?" I asked while we were both enjoying our drinks in silence.

She was briefly deliberating, but when she spoke she sounded sure of herself. "No, he won't."

"Why would you think that?" I replied, curious to hear her theory.

"Because Bella, as far as he still has a chance with you, he's smart enough to not ruin it. He knows that if he tries to separate you from Edward, you'll never speak to him again. Jacob will lose, too." She explained.

"You have a point there… I would never talk to him again if he spilled the beans… But do you really think he will look at it that way?" I asked, not entirely reassured.

"I think so. I mean he's stupid, but not that stupid." She said, making a face. "And besides, Edward gave him something to think about, Jacob has made mistakes himself."

"I guess… Either way, we can't turn back time… We'll just have to wait and see."

"It'll be fine." Rose promised, smiling at me. "If Jacob tells a living soul, I'll make sure to disconnect his head from his body." She added in a joking tone, trying to cheer me up.

I involuntarily let out a snort and made a disgusted face at her. "That sounds gross… but it works for me."

We dropped the dreaded subject and talked some more, until we were both too tired to stay up.

I stumbled into my bedroom, and only took the necessary things out of my suitcase. After I went through my routine of brushing my teeth and putting on my pajamas, I searched for my cell phone because I was pretty sure that I needed to charge the battery. I found it somewhere in the messy suitcase, and smiled widely as I noticed that Edward had sent me a message.

'_I know that you're probably worrying at the moment. Please don't, no matter what happens after this, we'll pull through. I will love you until my heart stops beating, and far longer than that. That's all that matters. Dream happy dreams. Edward.' _

xxx

It was no secret that I always had trouble paying attention in English class, but somehow Edward seemed to be an even bigger distraction since our weekend together. I was gazing at him, and apart from the nice fitting shirt that he was wearing, I also knew what was hiding _underneath_ it now, which only made things worse. It was a good thing that most of the subjects weren't a problem for me, otherwise I would have seriously failed English class this year.

I vaguely heard how he ordered his students to read pages thirty-two to thirty-nine, and I pretended to stare at my book. Of course I couldn't bring myself to read anything, and after reading the same sentence three times, I hesitantly looked up.

He was grading papers, his face frowning slightly in concentration as he scribbled things down with a red pen. His free hand was mindlessly playing with the messy, bronze hair on the back of his head. It should be _me_, touching that silky hair.

Reading was officially a lost cause now, and I decided to have some fun with him. I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket, and started texting.

'_Stop playing with your hair, it's a huge distraction, Mr. Cullen. By the way, would you object to teaching with your shirt off? I certainly wouldn't.'_

I snorted as I pressed 'send'.

Sure enough, his head snapped up, and he directly turned to look at me, giving me a playful scowl. He checked his cell phone, before looking up at me again and giving me that sexy smirk of his. He started to text me back, and it didn't take long before my phone started to buzz.

'_I wouldn't object, but I figure the principal would. Besides, if I did, you would have to take off your shirt, too. It's only fair, love.'_

I gave him an evil grin, already knowing what I was going to send back.

'_Great idea! I think Mike Newton would appreciate that very much.'_

Edward incredulously raised his eyebrows as he read my text, but composed his face as he frantically started to press the keys on his blackberry.

'_Probably… I couldn't care less, because I know you don't want Mike Newton, you only want me.'_

He smiled smugly at me, and I rolled my eyes, before typing a new text message.

'_Touché. And that was mean of me, sorry. Maybe you should punish me. Give me detention, please?'_

He sighed and almost invisibly shook his head at me. I raised my eyebrows at him in confusion, and he was texting again.

'_People will suspect something if I keep giving you detention every single day. Just stall a little and stay behind.'_

Right, how could I be so stupid, love really did make blind. As if no one would notice it when a goodie-two-shoes like me suddenly got detention at least three times a week.

He smiled at me and I nodded in understanding, mouthing a 'right' at him.

A few minutes later he resumed his lecture, and I zoned out again. The sound of the bell woke me up, and I told Rose to go on without me. I did as Edward had told, stalling, and when the room was empty I grinned at him.

"Is there anything you need from me, Miss Swan?" He asked, teasing me, humor in his emerald eyes.

"As a matter of fact, there is… I need you to check out something in the supply closet, Mr. Cullen." I replied in a fake innocent tone.

I turned around, making my way to the dusty closet, opening it and getting in. He joined me faster than I would've thought possible, and he smirked down at me as he moved irresistibly close to me.

"Now what's the problem?" He asked huskily, lowering his head so his face was right in front of mine, his minty breath stunning me.

"Actually… From the moment I walked into your classroom this morning, I've felt this overwhelming urge to touch you, and I was hoping you could help me with that…" I trailed off suggestively.

"Oh… Well in that case, I'm sure you remember what I told you before." He said, his eyes darkening.

I bit my lip and threw him another innocent look. "I can touch anything I want?"

"Correct." He whispered.

I reached up my hands, and they found their way into his hair. Finally I could touch him, like I had wanted to do all morning long. He leaned in further to give me a soft, tempting kiss on the lips, and I smiled in satisfaction. He swiftly broke the kiss, but continued to move his lips against my skin, kissing his way up my jaw line, looking for that sweet spot under my ear.

"Want me to kiss you here?" He purred, his breath tickling my ear.

"Yes… Please, Edward."

He didn't need more encouragement, and he started to suck on the sensitive spot. I wasn't thinking rationally anymore, and my hands detached themselves from his hair, quickly traveling down and slipping under the hem of his shirt. They moved up without my permission, tracing those perfect abs.

Edward shivered, but this time I didn't pull back.

"Good shiver." I stated in a trembling voice.

"That's right." He whispered, his breath blowing against the wet spot that he had created on my skin.

He started to pull free, and I reluctantly let go of him, knowing that I didn't have a choice. I gazed up at him, unable to hide my sadness.

Sweet and caring as ever, he lovingly brushed the back of his hand against my cheek, comforting me. "Someday, love… Someday we'll be free to do this _whenever_ we please, and _wherever_ we please..."

* * *

_Thank you for reading, and I promise I will update as soon as possible!_


	20. Closing In

_Hi folks! :D_

_Yay, the email-alerts are working again. Way to go, #failfictiondotnet. ^^"_

_Thank you for reviewing; _**Alligatorpie, Marijne, Jm1708, Thari, Sweettwilightvamps13, Dhampirbina, She Isn't Here, Amber, Gnomegirl13, Corki17, HiddenInTheWords, HealThisHeartbreak, Rosaa, Lost-girl666, Lizzy, Lizzie, Jrow1107, Lisa, Avery Shane, J5girl31012, x NON SEQUITUR x, Lauren, Ghostbunnieseatcheese, Texbratt67, Maren,****Feelslikeinsomnia, Mysterious Jae, Heal my bleeding heart, Jill, Sooretrox**_**, **_**SuperSayjinPanny, Witchykitty1313, Sprinter1**_**,**_**AutumnOtts and LexiLeothegreat909! **_*Hands out more digital hugs* :D_

_And of course; thanks for the awesome action-figures (xD), Thari, thanks for the flapjack, HiddenInTheWords, thanks for the jewelry, Lizzie, thanks for the cool hats (lol xD), Ghostbunnieseatcheese, thanks for the Emmett, Maren, thanks for the coffee and comfort, Heal my bleeding heart, thanks for the Rosalie, SuperSayjinPanny, thanks for the baby ruth, AutumnOtts, and thanks for the skittles, LexiLeothegreat909! xD_

_Okay questions:_

_To Jm1708: Yes, I said twenty-two. :p And I think I lied… twenty-two isn't going to work for me. More like twenty-four. xD_

_To Sweettwilightvamps13: About Jacob, sure, he likes Bella, but his love for her is not as serious as in New Moon. It's a whole different situation; In New Moon Bella and Jake went through a lot, together. In this story they are childhood friends without complications, and Jake wants to try something more. Of course he's a little sad that she rejects him, but it's not like he's in a deep depression now. :p_

_To Amber: No worries, the ending will be happy, I can guarantee that much. :p It's not so busy at my job anymore, at the moment, but thanks anyway. :p_

_To Lizzy: Lol, have fun with him. :p _

_To Lizzie: Haha, that's a lot of questions. :p But yes, everyone in this story is human, including Edward. What made me think of this story? Hmm… I just wanted to write something shallow with a little high-school-drama and some forbidden romance, and this is what came out. :p About the chapters, like mentioned before, I'm not sure, yet. :p And yay, you know a Dutch word, that's so cool! 8)_

_To Ghostbunnieseatcheese: I'm afraid people have better things to do than making a trailer for this story, and I'm a total n00b when it comes to video-editing. :p Someone once did make a trailer for another story of mine, 'While You Were Sleeping', but that was out of free will. xD _

_To Maren: Yeah, by now I've got a shitload of Edwards running around here. :p Does anyone want one? ;) (Stupid question.) As for your theory, I'm not going to give anything away, yet. :p_

_To Mysterious Jae: I considered putting in a fade out for the sex scene, but usually, it only frustrates people more, that's why I decided against it. There's a small chance that something like that will happen in the epilogue, but don't count on it. ;) As for Jacob, totally agree with you, I am sooo not a Jacob fan. :p_

_To Sooretrox: You mean the digital gifts people are giving me in the reviews? :p Yeah, I'm afraid I sort of started that hype a few stories ago by giving out digital gifts myself, it's pointless, really. :p_

_To SuperSayjinPanny: Ehm how do I feel after I've finished a story… Relieved, sad, a little bit of both I guess, but most of all, satisfied that I succeeded in actually finishing it. :p Will the meeting with Esme/Carlisle/Charlie be in it... To be honest, I'm still deliberating whether to include it or not, which by the way, will also have an influence on the length of the story… That's part of the reason why I'm not sure about the number of chapters…_

_Alright, done with the rambling, moving on to chapter twenty!_

* * *

**Closing In**

I was subtly smoothing out my shirt as I walked out of his classroom, past a small group of students. I turned left, keeping up a steady pace in order to make it in time to Spanish class, guessing that Mrs. Goff wouldn't be amused if I was late. Again. I was about to sprint around the corner, when I bumped into none other than Lauren Mallory.

To my horror, the calculating look on her face told me that this wasn't an accidental run-in. Or maybe I was being paranoid...

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you." I apologized, forcing a smile onto my face.

Lauren rolled her eyes. "Figures. You're probably too busy with Mr. Cullen, aren't you?" She bluntly came to the point.

Oh god… did she know? How? It was nearly impossible to keep the horror-struck expression from my face, but I tried. The only solution that came to mind was playing dumb… Which meant that I would have to lie… Why did I have to be such a sucky liar, that didn't help at all.

"What are you talking about?" I said impassively, hoping that my face didn't give me away, seeing as it was an open book most of the time. I was lucky that Lauren didn't know me that well.

"Like you don't know… Don't think I haven't noticed that you spend an awful lot of time in his classroom." Lauren said in an accusing tone, glaring suspiciously at me.

I realized that I'd been holding my breath for quite some time now, and I inhaled deeply in relief. Perhaps not everything was lost. From her words I could tell that she was only _suspecting_ something, she hadn't actually seen us together… I had to come up with a very impressive lie now... I had never been much of an actress, but I could try, to save Edward's job…

"What, you think that I'm there for my enjoyment? It's called de-ten-tion." I snapped at her, feigning an expression of disbelief and emphasizing every syllable of the word 'detention'. "Mr. Cullen may be good-looking, but other than that he's a total asshole! He made me clean out the entire supply closet! Have you ever _seen_ that thing on the inside? It hadn't been cleaned in ages, I can still feel those spiders crawling everywhere! If that idiot gives me detention one more time, I'm going to punch him in the face, and that's not an empty threat!" I ranted angrily, hoping that it sounded convincing.

Lauren's face turned into a mask of confusion. Ha, good! I briefly thanked the lord that Lauren wasn't one of the smartest people walking around Forks High.

"Yeah right, that's what you say…" She muttered in her nasal voice, although she didn't sound as determined as she'd been before.

"You don't believe me?" I asked firmly as she continued to stare at me, thoughts visibly tumbling through her head.

"I thought you were…" She started, but she stopped in the middle of her sentence. I had planted a seed of doubt in her mind.

"Attracted to that jerk?" I finished her sentence in mock astonishment. "As if! After I had cleaned out that entire closet last week, he comes up to me today and complains that it wasn't, and I quote, 'a very satisfying result'. He demanded that I'd do it over, but of course I refused. If he thinks I'm going in there again, he's nuts!"

"Oh…" Lauren said, her lips twisting into a hard line. "So you're not… hanging out with him?"

"Not out of free will. He's all yours." I said dismissively.

Her face turned sour and she shook her head. "Not like that's going to happen, I've tried everything… short skirts, flirting… He just doesn't fall for it." She said bitterly.

I had to stop myself from laughing out loud. Partly out of relief, because she seemed to buy my story, and partly because I knew _why_ Edward wasn't interested in her. Of course he wouldn't notice the short skirts… Not unless _I_ was the one wearing them.

I quickly composed my face and shrugged at Lauren. "I'm afraid I can't help you with that. All I can say is that _I_ won't stand in your way. My goal is to stay as far away from him as possible, god knows which nasty chores he has in store for me next time. I suspect that he has some sort of problem with me, seeing as he obviously hates me. Not to worry, though, the feeling is mutual. Arrogant bastard." I told her, rolling my eyes.

"Oh... I'm sorry for… you know, thinking that you and he…" She stuttered.

Wow, Lauren Mallory who didn't come up with a bitchy remark, that was a first! It seemed that I was capable of lying after all, although it probably only worked when the stakes were this high.

"It's fine, it was a misunderstanding. I have to go now, I'm late for Spanish. Good luck with Mr. Cullen." I said in an offhand tone.

"Right." She muttered.

I managed to crack another smile at her, before nonchalantly walking past her.

"Wait!" She called after me.

I turned around again and gave her a questioning glance, trying not to show her the insecurities that I currently felt. "Yes?"

"He never even gives me a second look… Do you think he's gay?" She blurted out, out of nowhere asking my advice now that she believed that I wasn't messing with her plans to seduce Edward.

A loud snort escaped me, but her face remained deadly serious. "Yeah, who knows… For all I care he's hooking up with Mr. Jefferson from government." I said quietly when I could talk in a normal voice again. "Bye, Lauren."

I heard her mutter a short "See you", but I didn't look back, already sprinting in the general direction of the Spanish classroom while my brain was working overtime. This wasn't good… people were starting to notice… Sure, I had successfully misled Lauren, but if a brainless person like Lauren suspected something, then it was guaranteed that more people would follow. The society of Forks was slowly closing in on us, and we would have to be extra careful from now on…

I came to a stop in front of the Spanish classroom, and saw that the door was already closed. Late again, and this time it wasn't even Edward's fault...

xxx

During lunch break I searched for Edward. I had to inform him about the problems with Lauren, he had to know that, apparently, we weren't being discreet enough. I didn't find him in his classroom, so my next destination was the teacher's lounge.

I knocked on the door before shyly opening it, and I spotted him immediately, sitting at a long table with a handful of other teachers. All of them were curiously looking up at me, and Edward's green eyes were boring into mine, as if he wanted to lift the reason for my visit straight out of my mind.

"I'm sorry to disturb, but Mr. Cullen, can I have a word with you about my essay? It's very important." I said mechanically.

Edward smiled his professional smile. "Oh yes, sure, Miss Swan."

He got up as the other teachers continued their conversation, not paying further attention to the two of us. He followed me out of the teacher's lounge, and gave me a look that was half concerned, half confused.

"Not here." I muttered.

I swiftly glanced around the rather empty hall, and my eyes landed on the janitor's closet. I grabbed the sleeve of his shirt, subtly dragging him along.

"Nice choice." He murmured when he observed where I was leading him.

When we were sure that no one was watching us, we sneaked into the closet, and I locked it, before letting out a stressed sigh.

"What's going on, love?" He asked warily.

"We have to watch our backs… People are starting to notice." I informed him in a frantic voice.

He raised those perfect eyebrows. "Define 'people'?"

"Lauren Mallory… She was suspecting something, she observed that I was spending a lot of time in your classroom, lately."

"Crap… Now what?" Edward cursed.

"Relax, I think I dodged her, I made up an excuse, she seemed to believe me." I blurted out in an attempt to calm him down. "But regardless, this is bad… We have to be more careful, Edward."

Edward nervously ran his hand through his hair. "Yes, I'm afraid so." He agreed. "Is it just me, or is the whole world against us?" He added, frustrated.

"Well, 'the whole world' would be exaggerating, but the entire town of Forks, yes." I said bitterly. "What do you suggest we do?"

He sighed deeply and gave me an apologetic look; the green eyes that I loved so much were filled with sadness. "We should keep more distance, before the rumors start to spread."

"More distance then we're already keeping?" I asked, mortified by the idea. I'd been thinking about another location or time to meet, not the horrible distance-thing.

"At least until this situation with Lauren has cooled down, love." He whispered, reaching out his hand to lightly rub the side of my arm.

"And what's your idea of keeping more distance?" I muttered weakly, fearing the answer.

Again the apologies were evident in his eyes. "Not seeing each other during school hours, except in class of course."

"Never?" I verified, stunned by his proposal.

"I'm sorry… But if this comes out… If there's only the suggestion that you and I… It would end badly for both of us, Bella." He explained in a soft voice. "If we were smart… we would completely avoid each other for the next five months."

"What? Are you… breaking up with me?" I choked out.

A look of horror suddenly crossed his face. "What, no! Hell no!" He exclaimed. "I don't want to be smart." He continued in a lighter tone, a tiny smile forming around his lips.

"So I'm still allowed to visit you on Saturdays?" I checked.

"Yes. Do you think I could survive five months without being able to hold you in my arms? I'd rather die than break up with you, you have to know that… It's just that we can't take the risk of anyone seeing us together, not now that someone already thinks that something is going on between you and I… We have to avoid any kind of physical contact while we're at school, for the time being… It's for the best." He murmured, his intense gaze never leaving me.

We were both silent for a minute, simply gazing at each other, until I ended it.

"I assume this means that the good-morning-kiss will be erased from our daily schedule?" I asked, already knowing the answer and pouting at him.

"I'm afraid so… No kissing until Saturday." He confirmed.

He brought his hand to my face again, his fingertips gently brushing along my jaw line. I closed my eyes, realizing that this was probably the last time that he would touch me, until Saturday at least.

"Look at me." He commanded mildly.

My eyes fluttered open and his face was much closer than I had expected, causing my heart to do a few little flips.

"Everything will work out fine." He whispered.

He leaned in, and tentatively brushed his lips against mine. It was a gentle, sweet kiss full of promises, as if his lips were trying to reassure me. When he pulled back he took me into his arms, tightly holding me in his embrace, resting his head on top of mine. I buried my face in his shirt, taking in his heavenly scent one last time.

The muted sound of the bell sounded through the door of the closet, and he abruptly let go of me.

"You go out first, I'll wait a minute, just to be sure." Edward said, lightly placing his hand on the small of my back, pushing me toward the exit.

"I love you." I mumbled inaudibly before sneaking out of the closet.

I disappeared into the sea of students, unthinkingly wishing that they would all miraculously vanish in a sudden puff of smoke, along with all the other people living in Forks. Now _that_ would be helpful, but unfortunately it was only wishful thinking. As it was, I would have to make sure to stay away from Edward, otherwise things were going to 'end badly' as he had put it…

The rest of the day went by in a blur, and when gym class ended I quickly changed and sprinted to the parking lot, just in time to see Rose getting into her red BMW. I waved at her to get her attention, seeing as she normally didn't wait up for me after school anymore because she knew that I usually walked home, or Edward would give me a ride.

She spotted me and frowned in surprise, but waited for me to get into the car. As soon as I fell down into the passenger seat and slammed the door shut, Rose unleashed her questions.

"Why aren't you with Edward?"

"Because we have to keep some distance." I said sourly, wincing a little as I said the word 'distance'.

"What? Why?" She demanded.

"Lauren was getting suspicious." I stated flatly.

Rose looked rather shocked, but soon her shock turned into anger. "Urgh, if she tells anyone, she's dead meat!" She all but growled, frowning slightly.

"No, I think it's okay, I made up a story, I'll tell you later… I really don't want to talk about Lauren right now. It's just… Edward and I figured that it would be safer if we stopped seeing each other at school… I mean if you think about it, we're taking a big risk…"

Rose nodded in understanding, but the frown never left her face. "Do you think that the two of you will be able to keep up this keeping-distance-thing?" She asked skeptically.

I shrugged. "Hopefully. We have to, we don't have a choice, Rose. It's either keeping our hands to ourselves, or Edward losing his job..."

xxx

Around eight pm I was sitting behind my disastrous computer, doing some research for a Biology project. Rose poked her head around the door of my bedroom, smiling at me.

"I'm going to see Emmett, will you be alright?" She asked.

"Sure, have fun! I'm going to try and finish my project for Biology, if this piece of junk is going to cooperate, that is." I said, scowling at my impossibly slow computer.

"Okay, I'll see you later." She said, patting my shoulder and skipping out of the room.

"Tell Emmett I said hi!" I called after her.

"Will do." I heard her yell back before the front door slammed shut.

Silence. Awful, annoying, silence. Silence wasn't a good thing, I needed some distraction right now. I envied Rose, who was allowed to see the love of her life whenever she wanted to see him… I searched for my old MP3player, cheering myself up with his music while I did my homework.

I typed fervently for a while, but eventually I got stuck, and I decided to email Angela, who was in my Biology class, to ask her if she knew what we were supposed to do with assignment six. I opened my mailbox, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was an email from Edward.

_**From:**__ Edward Cullen__**  
To:**__ Isabella Swan  
__**Subject:**__ I miss you…_

_Hello love, _

_I'm not sure if you often check your email, but I'm sure you'll read this eventually. Not like it's truly important, this is me being a pathetic stalker because I miss you. If you open the attachment you'll find a new song that I came up with earlier this evening. Hope you'll like it. _

_I love you,_

_Edward_

I grinned goofily as I opened the MP3file, and I typed a response as a beautiful melody filled the silence of the empty apartment.

_**From:**__ Isabella Swan  
__**To:**__ Edward Cullen  
__**Subject:**__ You can stalk me any day…_

_Hey you!_

_Wow, it sounds amazing, Edward, I don't know what else to say… You're a very talented man, Mr. Cullen. And you're not pathetic, I'll keep counting the seconds until it's Saturday… I'm going to finish my Biology homework now, and then I'm going to try and get some sleep. _

_I'm sure I'll see you in my dreams… And in class tomorrow, although I'll only be allowed to look…_

_Your Bella_

A wide smile stretched across my face as I pressed the send-button. Five stupid months, sneaking around, keeping our distance… This man was so worth it. He was _more_ than worth it, and I would surely survive those months because he reminded me of that fact every single day.

* * *

_Thanks for reading, I'll update again as soon as possible! :)_


	21. Changes

_Hey there! :D_

_Seriously, failfictiondotnet… Document Manager isn't working? You'll have to come up with something way more impressive to stop me from uploading, muwhahaa! xD_

_Thank you so much for leaving all those amazing reviews; _**Lisa, Lizzie, HiddenInTheWords, Marijne, Lost-girl666, Thari, Lizzy, TwilightQandA, Hayleymay129, HealThisHeartbreak, Heal my bleeding heart, SooRetrox, Adrie45, Maren, Rosaa, Greystorm, Ilovecookies1996, JillWithTheVampiresx, Jm1708, J5girl31012, Gnomegirl13, Avery Shane, She Isn't Here, Texbratt67, Roanna95, RPatzzMania, Ecullenwho, AutumnOtts, Doves1993, LexiLeothegreat909, Sprinter1,****ForBlueSkies24, Sunshine72, Lil miss bella cullen **_and _**Bella'Swan'22!**_ Free, digital Edwards for everyone, because you guys rock my world! :D_

_And also; Thanks for the Alice (yay!), HiddenInTheWords, thanks for the piano and guitar for my Edwards, Thari, thanks for all the digital Cullens, Hayleymay129, thanks for the gummyworms, AutumnOtts, thanks for the digital bunny (omg, awesome!), LexiLeothegreat909, thanks for the Edwards, Bella'Swan'22, and Adrie 45, I'm going to pick the brownies, because I'm addicted to those things! xD_

_More rambling… *Le sigh*_

_To Lisa: Lol, your suspicion is very much on target. ;) And you didn't even have to buy a vowel, therefore, you are the winner of a brand-new, digital refrigerator! :p _

_To Thari: Oh noohz, balen, nu had ik net wat accessoires gekregen waarmee Edward leuke liedjes voor me kon spelen, en dan moest ik hem net zo nodig uitlenen aan jou voor een dag. xD_

_To Lizzie: Your Dutch is getting better and better, keep it up girl! ;)_

_To Jm1708: I'm going to answer your questions anyway. :p You mentioned Charlie, and it so happens that he'll be in the next chapter. xD But other than that, he's not a big part of the story because he isn't essential to the plot. The same goes for Bella thinking about college, it's irrelevant to the story, and she has a lot of other stuff on her mind. Besides, graduation is almost six months away, and it's not that out of character for Bella to make a last minute choice about college and not really think about her future, it's exactly the same thing she does in the actual books. ;) But don't worry, she will go to college, and it will be mentioned later. As for Edward's music, that's where we're heading. ;) But if he had said right away 'I love you, I'm quitting my job' that wouldn't have been much of a story. :p_

_To Greystorm: Thanks for catching up! :D *Imagines a girl who's happily bouncing in front her computer screen* xD_

_To Gnomegirl13: You're right, I agree, it's so ironic! xD I start writing this unoriginal story, not really thinking anything of it, and suddenly everyone makes a big deal out of it. xD It's just very funny. xD And awesome of course, especially because it is so unexpected. _

_To RPatzzmania: There will be twenty-four chapters (at least), because I'm guessing that this is the number of chapters that I'll need to nicely wrap up the story. After that there won't be much left to the original storyline. ;)_

_Yay, new chapter, with some nice developments, I think. Some of you already guessed it. ;) Enjoy!_

* * *

**Changes**

The rest of the week was like hell. Pure, unadulterated torture. There he was, every single day, looking breathtakingly gorgeous, and I was only allowed to _look_. It was like keeping a bar of chocolate right out of the reach of a chocoholic, like waving heroine in front of a drug-addict… Nearly impossible to resist.

Time was moving slower than a snail, and eventually I gave up on counting seconds, settling for counting hours instead. Needless to say, he called me frequently, sent me hundreds of text messages, and emailed me every now and then... But it wasn't enough, I needed to be with him, talk to him in person, kiss him, touch him… anything.

Edward tried to make it as easy as possible for me, only giving me friendly and polite looks during class, careful not to overwhelm me with the smoldering, sexy smirks that he used to give me before. I would be a liar if I denied the fact that I missed those intense gazes that he normally directed at me, but I knew that it was for my own good. He was only helping me with keeping myself from jumping him after class.

I never stayed behind anymore when English class ended, and I always made sure that Lauren caught a glimpse of me when I left the classroom at the same time as my fellow students. She never came up to me again, and after a few days she hardly paid attention to me anymore. I was back to invisible, which was a sign that our plan was working.

Every stinking day, I bravely fought my urge to go to his classroom after my last class, and every day it was getting more difficult to stop myself.

I was feeling down most of the time, but my first actual breakdown didn't take place until Thursday evening…

I had just escaped Rosalie's worried stare by telling her that I was tired and that I was going to call it a night, when the tears started to spill as I was lying on my bed, in my dark room. All alone, without him... I involuntarily sneaked a glance at my cell phone, which was lying on my desk. Should I call him? No, hearing his voice would probably only make it more difficult. It was already past eleven anyway, so there was a good chance that he was sound asleep right now. Surely he wasn't as pathetic as I was, he probably wasn't lying awake, thinking about me…

I tossed and turned for a while, but around midnight I still couldn't catch my sleep, tears still burning behind my eyes, threatening to spill out again at any moment. The last thing I expected at this moment, was for my cell phone to start ringing, and so I all but jumped up when it did. I got up, stumbled over to the desk, and was a little panicked when I saw Edward's name on the screen. Something had to be seriously wrong, otherwise he wouldn't call me at this hour.

"Edward? Are you alright?" I blurted out when I answered the phone.

He sounded surprised. "Yes… Are you alright?"

"Yes… sure… I thought something was wrong because you're calling me in the middle of the night." I said dryly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you… It's just that… I missed you, and I couldn't sleep, and before I knew what I was doing I was already dialing your number. I must've woken you up, I don't know what I was thinking…" He rambled.

I slowly sat on the edge of my bed and frowned at the phone, even though he couldn't see it. Did his cuteness have any limit, at all? Apparently it didn't.

"No! Edward, it's fine, I couldn't sleep either." I interrupted him.

"Oh… Hey, have you been crying?" He asked, suddenly sounding worried.

Oh no, my traitorous voice must have given me away.

"It's nothing, I'm fine… It's because I miss you, too." I explained quietly. "I can't sleep because I keep thinking about you."

He sighed. "I wish I could be there with you, sweetheart… Have you tried playing the song to help you go to sleep?"

"A million times." I admitted. "I know that it doesn't make any sense, I talk to you over the phone every day… but somehow I still miss you… Is that weird?"

He laughed lightly. "No not at all, love. I know exactly how you feel… But you need to sleep, it's a school night… Why don't we try the singing?"

"What?" I asked, confused by the sudden change of subject.

"Just lay down, relax, and I'll sing all night if you want me to. I don't want to be the one keeping you from your sleep." His said softly in that silky voice.

"You're kidding, right?" I asked in disbelief.

"No I'm not, just do as I tell." He replied, some humor in his voice.

"Okay…" I muttered hesitantly, sliding under the covers again and resting my head on my pillow.

"Comfortable?" He asked when the rustling of the sheets stopped.

"Yes…"

"Close your eyes." He whispered. "Think back to the weekend in Port Angeles… You slept well then, didn't you?" He added, a teasing edge to his tone.

I snorted. "Like you don't know, Mr. Cullen."

He didn't say anything, but I could clearly picture how he was probably rolling his eyes on the other end of the phone. "Just think back to that night… imagine that I'm with you again."

I closed my eyes again, really trying this time, thinking back to how it had felt to sleep in his arms… Warm, safe, his sweet scent making my head swim… I had felt so loved and protected… I heard how he softly started to hum the very familiar melody, and concentrated on nothing but his voice; the sound of an angel singing a lullaby.

I wasn't sure how long he kept singing, I wasn't even sure how long I actually continued to listen, but eventually my eyelids were becoming heavy, and the only thing that I remembered after that was a deep, dreamless sleep…

xxx

Surviving Friday seemed like another impossible task, but I succeeded, and finally Saturday arrived, smiling welcomingly at me.

I felt different the second I woke up this morning, as if my sub consciousness already knew what was going to happen today, even though I wasn't fully awake. I was going to spend the majority of my Saturday with Edward, until six that was, because I had promised Charlie earlier this week that I would come over and make him dinner today.

I showered and got dressed in a high tempo, something that was rather out of character for me, seeing as I normally needed some time to start up in the morning. Naturally, today was an exception, because the sooner I got ready, the sooner I would see him again.

My breakfast consisted of nothing more than a granola bar and a glass of milk, and Rose quirked an eyebrow at me while I half-ran out of the apartment, but didn't comment. She knew exactly what was going on, and she simply wished me a nice day before I closed the front door behind me.

Even the fifteen minute walk in the rain couldn't ruin my day, and I was smiling the entire way to his apartment.

The moment I rang his bell and he opened the door, I flung myself into his arms, locking him in a dead-grip. He chuckled as he stumbled back inside because of the impact, and he quickly closed the door behind us.

"Finally." I heard him whisper before his lips started to attack mine.

I hungrily kissed him back, making up for all the kisses that we had missed out on the last four days. His arms were tightly locked around my waist, and my arms were firmly wrapped around his neck while his lips were urgently moving with mine.

He didn't pull back until we both had trouble breathing, and he never released me, keeping me safely in his embrace. I looked up at him, staring into those shining, emerald eyes for a long moment. He gazed back at me with the same intensity, until I broke the contact.

I stood on my tiptoes and kissed his neck where I could reach it, kissing a trail up to his jaw, and from there moving to his perfect face, basically covering him in kisses on every place where his pale skin was exposed. I only stopped when he cupped my face in both his hands, pressing another light kiss on my lips before nuzzling his nose against mine.

"I think I'm going to keep you here as my prisoner." He murmured, his breath washing against my face.

"Go ahead." I agreed eagerly.

"Be careful what you wish for, my Bella." He joked, bringing his face closer again for another kiss.

The rest of the morning we spent talking, cuddling and kissing. We had to feed our addictions in order to survive another week of the whole distance-thing.

Around noon Edward wanted to make us lunch, and I offered to help him. That was why we were currently moving around the kitchen, making pancakes together. We both had some trouble concentrating on the food, since we were a bit preoccupied with each other. At this exact moment, Edward had trapped me between his arms, my back against the kitchen sink.

"How am I supposed to bake pancakes like this." I complained in mock annoyance.

"Just improvise." Edward said, smirking at me.

He leaned in and kissed the side of my jaw, gently at first, and then he enthusiastically moved on to my mouth. He lifted me up and placed me on the sink, and I was briefly reminded of our very first kiss. He gave me a heart-stopping smile, which made me think that he was thinking the same thing. His lips were sweetly brushing against mine, when the sound of the doorbell echoed through the apartment.

My eyes widened, and Edward hesitantly released me.

"Should I hide?" I asked, a bit hysterical.

He shook his head. "No, just stay in the kitchen, if there's a reason to hide I'll let you know, I'm not expecting any visitors… Maybe it's just Alice."

I anxiously watched him as he walked out of the kitchen, and I distracted myself by focusing on finishing our pancakes. I heard the muted sound of Edward's voice, and another low, male's voice, but it wasn't loud enough, so I couldn't make anything of their conversation.

It wasn't long until I heard a vague 'goodbye', and Edward walked back into the kitchen, smiling reassuringly at me. "False alarm, it was just the mail. I had to sign something, registered letter." He explained.

I let out a sigh of relief. "Sounds important, Mr. Cullen." I joked lightheartedly, glad that no one had caught us.

I mindlessly resumed working on the pancakes, but when he remained silent for quite some time I turned around to look at him. He was gaping at the letter, his eyebrows raised in an incredulous expression.

"Edward?" I questioned.

His head snapped up and he looked at me in disbelief.

"What's wrong?" I pressed.

Edward snapped out of it and dismissively rolled his eyes. "I think this is someone's idea of a joke."

"What do you mean?"

He made a face at me. "It's supposed to be a letter from some music agency. They're claiming that they've heard my demos, and that they are very interested in my music. Apparently there's some big vampire movie coming up, and they're looking for someone to compose the soundtrack… My style is very fitting, yada, yada…"

I gave him a puzzled look. "Well won't you have to… I don't know, _send out_ demos first, in order for people to actually like them?" I asked dryly.

"That's exactly my point, this has to be a joke." He muttered, glancing at the letter again. "But it's weird… I've never shared my music with anyone… no one but you…" He trailed off, gazing up at me again. "Wait… did you..."

I defensively held up my hands when I realized what he was asking, feverishly shaking my head. "No way! I mean, I totally think that you're wasting your talent, but I would never go behind your back and do something like this, it has to be your choice and… Oh no…" I gasped as I recalled that I had in fact shared his songs with one person… I had forwarded his email to Alice before I'd gone to sleep last Sunday…

"Oh no? I don't think I like the sound of that…" Edward said, giving me a suspicious look.

I groaned in defeat. "I am so, so sorry, it's all my fault! I sent some of your songs to Alice, she asked me if she could hear them, using those puppy-eyes of hers on me and I… Oh god, I'm so stupid, I should've asked you..." I rambled.

He stopped my panicked explanation, moving closer to me and taking me into his arms, kissing the top of my head. "It's fine, love, don't worry about it. I can understand that you trusted Alice, she's my sister and your friend… I can imagine that it never occurred to you that she would send out the songs… This is just another typical case of Alice-not-interfering-with-my-life." He said sarcastically.

"You're not mad at me?" I whispered against his shoulder.

"No, love, I don't think I could ever be mad at you." He said sincerely, planting another kiss in my hair and releasing me.

He snatched his cell phone from the kitchen table and immediately started to dial a number.

"Are you calling Alice?" I asked.

He nodded, the expression on his face impassive. "Yes, I'm going to have a word with the pixie."

I frowned at him, fearing for Alice's safety. "What are you going to tell her?"

To my surprise the blank expression disappeared in a heartbeat, and he smiled crookedly at me. "I'm going to kill her… and then thank her..."

Oh my… _thank her_? Did that mean that he was seriously considering the career-switch? A huge grin was slowly spreading across my face at the thought.

"Ah, Alice, how nice to hear you." I heard him talk on the phone, a lot of sarcasm seeping through his voice.

I shook my head and laughed, turning my attention back to our lunch, before it would actually turn into a dinner. I heard him arguing with his sister, but near the end of the conversation his tone softened, and he did thank her… After he had warned her to _never_ do it again, of course.

"Alice told me to say hi to you." Edward announced after he'd said goodbye to his sister.

I snorted. "Great… so she's still alive?"

"Barely." Edward said in a mocking tone, playfully wrapping his arms around me but keeping a little distance between us so he could still look at my face. "So, what do you think?" He asked abruptly, his eyes boring into mine.

I arched an eyebrow at him. "What do I think about what?"

He rolled his eyes. "You know, the letter that started it all, you may remember, it only happened thirty minutes ago…" He mocked me.

"You're asking me?"

"Yes… You're the most important person in my life, Bella, is it so strange that I want your opinion?" He said, those green eyes burning with sincerity.

I smiled radiantly at his words. "Well in that case, I think you should go for it…"

He laughed at my obvious enthusiasm. "Don't get too excited, I don't have the job, yet. They're merely asking me to give them a call." He reminded me.

"And… will you?" I asked.

He smirked at me and shrugged. "Oh I don't know… I suppose it wouldn't hurt anyone if I called them back to hear what they have to say…"

"No… where would the harm in that be." I said, beaming at him.

Without a warning he lifted me up, swirling me around and briefly pecking me on the lips before safely placing me back on my own two feet again.

"You're going to be a famous musician, Mr. Cullen." I said jokingly, gently stroking through his silky, bronze hair.

He skeptically pressed his lips into a line. "I'm not sure about the famous-part, but if this works out, at least I won't be a teacher anymore… Hmm, the possibilities." He said, grinning suggestively at me.

"Sounds good to me." I agreed, once more locking him in my embrace and reaching up until my lips found his…

* * *

_Thanks for reading, new update as soon as possible! :)_


	22. Good News

_Hey guys! :)_

_Die, FailFictiondotnet, die! No email-alerts again the last couple of days, that's twice in one week, this is starting to annoy the heck out of me. =_=_

_Thanks for all the amazing reviews; _**Alix-09, Lizzie, Marijne, Lil miss bella cullen, Rosaa, Lizzy, Thari, JillWithTheVampiresx, Doves1993, Greystorm, Adrie45, Lost-girl666, HiddenInTheWords, TwilightLover2010, Lisa, RPattzmania, Ilovecookies1996, SuperSayjinPanny, Heal my bleeding heart, Jm1708, Sprinter1, LexiLeothegreat909, J5girl31012, Ecullenwho, HealThisHeartbreak, She Isn't Here, AutumnOtts, Dhampirbina, Kiersten2009, Texbratt67, ShikaGirl1990, Yuval25, Xtina316, Maren, Avari-at-heart, Sweettwilightvamps13, Mysterious Jae, Gnomegirl13, Twilightluver39, Avery Shane **_and_** Dervishgirl!**_ Your reviews are such a huge motivation to keep writing! :D_

_And of course; Thanks for the rainbows, unicorns, Edwards and chocolate, Rosaa, thanks for the MP3player, Thari, thanks for the brownies, Adrie45, thanks for the interfering Alice (xD), SuperSayjinPanny, thanks for the Jasper and Drew Fuller (I agree, he's so cute!), Heal my bleeding heart, thanks for the chocolate, LexiLeothegreat909, thanks for the banana nut bread, peanut butter chocolate chip cookies, and peach cobbler with ice cream (lol xD), AutumnOtts, and thanks for the sing-to-sleep-Edward (Aaahw :D), Maren!_

_To Rosaa: Your social studies teacher? :p Yes, I'm afraid that what you're thinking is very wrong indeed. :p_

_To SuperSayjinPanny: You're right, over 500 reviews, that's just crazy. xD It only proves how great you guys are! _

_To Jm1708: Sure, you can have a SingWard! :D Have fun with him. :p_

_To LexiLeothegreat909 and HealThisHeartbreak: Jacob happens to be in this chapter. ;)_

_To Maren: Uhu, you were partly right. :p And yes, at least the document manager is working again. Although with my last update I had to use the copy/paste-into-an-old-document-technique. :p_

_To Mysterious Jae: Oops, my bad. xD It's spelled 'ie' in Dutch, instead of 'ee' and I just assumed that it was the same in English, I never really thought about it. So thanks for mentioning, I've corrected it! ;)_

_Which reminds me, if any of you come across any other dumb mistakes, wrong words that I keep repeating over and over and over and over again, please do tell. :p_

_Other announcement: It's official now, there will be twenty-four chapters and an epilogue._

_That's a short author's note… Well short for me, anyway. :p Chapter twenty-two, have fun! :D Three updates left after this... The end is near. *Sighs dramatically*  
_

* * *

**Good News**

I was deep in thought as I parked my truck in front of Charlie's house, my mind still preoccupied with Edward and this afternoon's developments. Before I'd left his place, he had assured me that he was going to make the call, and he had promised me to let me know right away if there was any news.

I had briefly gone home to pick up my truck, but Rose hadn't been there so I hadn't had a chance to bring her the news, which was a bummer because I was dying to share it with someone; let out some of the excitement. Perhaps that was the main reason why I hadn't noticed Jake's Volkswagen Rabbit at first, but my stomach turned a little when I spotted it across the street as I got out of my vehicle.

What was he doing here? This was going to be several kinds of awkward, no question about it. How was I going to act around him? And most important, what if Jacob blabbed something out in Charlie's presence? That would be very bad…

I hesitantly opened the front door and took off my coat, before moving on to the kitchen. The kitchen was deserted, but I heard voices coming from the undersized living room. I tentatively poked my head around the door, and spotted Charlie, Billy and Jacob, all three of them staring at the television screen in fascination, watching some game.

"Hey guys." I tried for a cheery tone.

Their heads snapped up and they all greeted me.

"Hi Bella, long time no see, how's it going?" Billy asked, giving me a friendly smile.

I returned his smile. "I'm great, nice to see you again, Billy."

"Bella! I'm sorry… I know this was supposed to be our night together, but Billy and Jake unexpectedly came to visit me... Actually they were also planning on staying for dinner… but we could just order a pizza if you don't feel like, you know…" Charlie muttered, looking a little guilty.

"Oh no! It's fine." I interrupted his semi-apology. "Don't worry about it, really. I don't mind cooking for a few extra people." I added, grinning at Billy and Jacob. If I had to make a choice between cooking or watching some baseball game, cooking was definitely preferable.

Billy brightly grinned back, but all I got from Jacob was a nearly invisible, mechanic smile.

"Thanks, Bells." Charlie said sincerely.

"Anytime, I was planning on making spaghetti, I'll just make some extra."

"Great… Do you need any… help?" Charlie asked uncertainly. It was obviously guilt that brought him to ask me if I needed help with the cooking, seeing as Charlie couldn't cook to save his life.

"No, I'll manage, you guys enjoy the game." I said, winking at him.

"Why don't I help you, Bella?" Jacob suddenly asked, speaking up for the first time since I'd entered the room. His eyes were dark, determined, as if he was using them to convince me to comply.

"Ehm… Sure." I agreed reluctantly.

I turned around and slowly made my way back into the kitchen, and when I turned back to see if Jake was following me, he was already standing right in front of me. I gazed up at him, not even trying to hide my confusion.

"Is there something you wanted to talk about?" I asked after a short silence.

"No. I just want to help you out." Jacob said, his voice impassive.

"Oh… right." I mumbled, not truly believing him.

I wasn't sure what to think of it, but I decided to let it go, instead concentrating on preparing tonight's dinner. I asked Jake to slice some vegetables as I started to work on the sauce, and he obediently followed my order. I didn't know what to say to him, but the silence was more uncomfortable than welcome at this point, and for an instant I was grateful when Jacob broke it, until my brain processed what he was asking me.

"So, did you have a nice Saturday so far?" He asked.

Aargh, why did he have to ask _that_ question? I knew he was only trying to make small talk, but it was a given that my blushing face would give me away as soon as I answered him.

"It was nice." I answered quietly, doing my best to keep my expression indifferent, although I could feel that my cheeks were warming up.

"You were with _him_." Jacob was stating, not asking.

I sighed, glancing sideways, and I was met by Jake's accusing stare.

"Yes…" I admitted in defeat. "I love him, Jake… Of course I want to be with him whenever I can."

Jake made a sound that reminded me an awful lot of growling. "It's wrong, Bella!"

I rolled my eyes at him. "Oh please, Jake! Edward and I are both adults, and I love him… Is it so wrong for two people to be in love with each other?" I defended myself.

"He's your teacher!" Jake hissed in a low voice, careful to keep the parents from hearing us.

"Yeah, I think you've mentioned that before." I retorted icily, getting irritated with him.

He opened his mouth to make a remark, but he was momentarily distracted when my cell phone started ringing. He raised his eyebrows at me as I pulled it out of my pocket, and I swallowed loudly as I watched the name that was flashing on the screen.

"It's him, isn't it?" Jake guessed.

I bit my lip and nodded almost inaudibly. "Yes, it's him."

I didn't answer the phone, scared that Charlie might wander into the kitchen at the exact moment that I was having a conversation with Edward. That would be just my luck, and it was a risk I didn't want to take, even though I was fully aware that this could very well be the phone call I'd been waiting for since I'd said goodbye to him earlier this evening. The phone stopped ringing and I quickly sent him a text message.

'_Still at my dad's, I can't really talk now. I'll call you as soon as I get home. I love you.'_

"Some romance, with all the sneaking around." Jake commented mockingly when I put my phone down.

He had resumed his task, and he wasn't looking at me anymore, only focusing on the tomatoes that he was slicing.

"It's a price I'm willing to pay." I shot at him.

That shut him up for a second, and he paused his attack on the tomatoes, looking up at me with an expression on his face that was unfamiliar to me.

"What?" I pressed when he didn't speak.

Jake frowned slightly, but he no longer seemed angry… More like defeated. "You truly love him, don't you?" He asked in wonder.

"I do, I've told you before." I muttered tiredly.

"I know, it's just, the look in your eyes when you talk about him… The way they light up whenever you mention him… He makes you happy, am I right?" To my astonishment, Jacob sounded more friendly than he had in a long time.

"Yes… Very much so." I confessed in a soft voice.

Jacob's eyes were intently watching me for a brief period of time, but I was clueless as to what he was thinking right now. "Well he'd better take good care of you." He suddenly grumbled.

I forced a tiny smile onto my face. "Believe me, he will… Because for some reason that is far beyond my grasp, he loves me as much as I love him."

"Whatever you say… But if he ever _does_ break your heart, I'll make sure to hunt him down." Jake vowed, half serious, half joking.

I let out a small snort. "If he ever does break my heart, you have my permission. Don't hold your breath, though."

"I won't… But I'll always be waiting for him to make a mistake." Jake mused.

"Don't waste your time." I responded dryly.

"It's worth a try." Jake disagreed, grinning at me.

Finally our conversation had become a little lighter, and to my relief Jacob moved on to the subject of his motorcycle, not bringing up Edward again. He dutifully helped me with finishing the spaghetti, and the four of us ate our dinner at Charlie's small kitchen table. Luckily Jacob kept his mouth shut to Billy and Charlie about Edward, and Edward himself was wise enough not to call me again.

Once everyone was stuffed I offered to clean up and do the dishes, and Charlie thanked me; both him and Billy were eager to return to the flat screen and watch the end of the game. Jake however, helped me out again, telling me that he would do the drying. The atmosphere wasn't as tense as it had been before, and some part of me had some fresh hope that Jake was slowly starting to accept the fact that I wanted to be with Edward.

When we were done I told Jake I wasn't going to stick around much longer, and I didn't have to tell him why I was so eager to get home. I said my goodbyes to Charlie and Billy, receiving another round of apologies from Charlie. For the millionth time I assured him that it was fine, and when I headed for the door, Jacob followed me to let me out.

"I'll see you later?" Jacob asked. It was more a question than a statement.

I stepped into the light drizzle that was falling outside, and turned around to face him.

"Sure… I'll see you later… I'm your friend, remember? It's my job to hang out with you." I joked, letting him know that we were cool.

He grinned widely. "Thanks, Bella… Just, take care of yourself, please." He said, his tone earnest at the end.

I raised my eyebrows at him, wondering if he was referring to Edward, but I decided to humor him. "I will, don't worry. You take care, too."

I hurried to my truck, trying to avoid some of the rain, and quickly made my way home. When I entered the apartment after another short but unwelcome encounter with the cold, wet rain, I saw that Rose and Emmett were hanging on the couch, watching some action movie.

"Hey sis!" Emmett boomed as soon as he heard me, never looking away from the screen.

I laughed without thinking about it, an effect that Emmett often had on me. "Hey yourself."

"Did you have fun today?" Rose asked suggestively, not going into details because Emmett didn't know what was going on between me and Edward, yet.

"Yes, and I think I have some great news, but I'll tell you later." I replied, grinning at her. "Which reminds me, I have to go and make an important phone call now."

"Hey… Are you people keeping secrets from me?" Emmett suddenly asked, offended.

"Weren't you busy watching people who are shooting each other's heads off? We'll tell you later." Rose said dismissively.

Emmett shrugged, his eyes focusing on the TV again, and I mimicked a 'thanks' at her, before practically running to my room.

I slammed the door shut, already dialing his number, and he picked up after one ring.

"Bella!" His excited voice sounded through the phone.

"Edward!" I mocked him, laughing at his enthusiastic tone.

"Are you making fun of me?" He asked, feigning hurt.

"Maybe… I'm sorry. You called me, Mr. Cullen?" I asked in an official tone, pushing him to get to the point.

"I did, Miss Swan. I have some good news, and some bad news, which do you want me to tell you first?" He matched my businesslike tone.

I grimaced as he said the words 'bad news'. "Bad… Might as well get it over with." I said weakly.

"Okay, here it comes... The bad news is that we probably won't see each other on Tuesday, because I won't be at Forks High that day." Edward said calmly.

"Oh… that's bad news indeed… So what's the good news?" I probed.

"The good news… Is that I won't be there because I took the day off, seeing as I have a _very_ important job interview that day!" Edward exclaimed enthusiastically.

"No way!" I squealed.

"Yes way!" He teased me. "I called the agency, and they're very interested in my music, actually I'm their first choice. It turns out that one of their offices is located in Seattle, and I'm invited to come over for an interview, Tuesday at four!"

"Wow… I don't know what to say! This is amazing!" I was positive that I sounded a lot like Alice at the moment.

"I know, love, I'm still having a hard time believing it myself. And all thanks to you and my nosy sister."

"That would be giving me way too much credit. I've only forwarded an email… Not to mention, without your approval."

"That's not what I'm talking about, you silly girl." Edward murmured. "This music would've never existed in the first place if it weren't for you. I wasn't kidding when I told you that you are my biggest inspiration."

I blushed heavily, and for once I thought that it was a _good thing_ that he wasn't here with me. "Stop making such a big deal out of me, Edward."

"I'm not _making_ a big deal out of you, you _are_ a big deal, love. You're the most important thing in my world, never doubt that." His velvety voice was filled with sincerity.

My heart accelerated at his sweet words, and my thoughts were far from coherent. "Do you have to make me speechless every time?" I complained.

He chuckled quietly, and teased me some more. "I'm not even trying, my beautiful Bella, I'm just telling you the truth."

"Yeah, yeah." I huffed. "By the way, is it okay if I tell Rose?"

"Yes, why not, but don't get overexcited, please. It'll only be a bigger disappointment if it doesn't work out." He warned me.

"I know… but a girl can hope." I said nonchalantly.

We talked for another half hour, and he even offered to sing me to sleep again before we said our farewells, but I told him that I wanted to share the good news with Rose, first.

Emmett left around eleven, and as soon as I heard the front door slam shut I didn't wait more than ten seconds to overwhelm Rose with a summary on today's wonderful events.

"No way!" She shouted enthusiastically after I'd finished my story.

"Yes way!" I imitated Edward. "He has an interview in Seattle this Tuesday, but as far as I can tell they're already highly interested in his music."

"Oh my god! Your boyfriend is going to be a famous musician." Rosalie chirped.

"Let's not get too excited, nothing's sure, not yet at least."

"I know, but still! This is such a great opportunity for him! I mean if he's as good as you claim he is, there's no way that they won't sign him." Rose stated optimistically.

"I guess not… And I believe in him, but we have to be prepared for a less cheerful outcome." I said seriously, agreeing with Edward that it would only be a bigger letdown if we deluded ourselves into thinking that it was already a done deal, while there was still a rational chance that he wouldn't even get the job.

"There won't be, I can feel it!" She gushed.

"What? Are you a psychic now?" I asked skeptically.

"No, merely a hunch." She sang.

"In that case, let's hope you're right, Miss Fortuneteller." I said sarcastically.

To my horror Rose wasn't discouraged by my skepticism, and she launched into a detailed description of Edward and I, walking on a red carpet. I zoned out during her rambling about him becoming rich and famous, but I had to admit that I was ecstatic at the thought of Edward quitting his job as a teacher. Sure, we would have to wait for a little while before coming out in public until it was realistic to say that Edward and I had only started dating _after_ he'd quit his job, but at least it wouldn't be five excruciatingly long months…

* * *

_Thanks for reading, I'll update again as soon as possible. :)_


	23. Tuesday

_Hey everyone! :D_

_Oh for the love of god, again no emailalerts. =_= I'm going to hunt down someone from technical support and... *keeps her dark thoughts to herself*  
_

_Thank you for reviewing; _**Dhampirbina, Thari, Lisa, Mrs. Bella-cullen-in-my-dreams, Rosaa, Jm1708, Heal my bleeding heart, Linek, RPattzmania, Maren, HiddenInTheWords, Xtina316, Lizzie, JillWithTheVampiresx, Amber, Heal This Heartbreak, Lil miss bella cullen, J5girl31012, Gnomegirl13, LexiLeothegreat909, Twilightluver39, xxxxxxRosexxxxxx, Sprinter1, Avery Shane**_, _**She Isn't Here, AutumnOtts, Lizzy, Jenninemarie, ****Texbratt67 **_and_** Greystorm!**_ Wow! Over 600 reviews now, you guys are simply the best! :D_

_And also; Thanks for the chocolate-covered-strawberries to play with my Edwards (xD), Thari, thanks for the hot chocolate with marshmallows and Emmett, Rosaa, thanks for the funny Emmett and SMS-sending-Edward, Maren, thanks for the Alice and the Ben&Jerry's, Lizzie, thanks for the job-Edward (Say whut? xD), LexiLeothegreat909, and thanks for the Crème Brule, AutumnOtts!_

_Okay, other rambling: _

_To Dhampirbina: Lol, god would be too much credit, but thanks so much! :D_

_To Rosaa: That's a wise decision, crushing on teachers outside of fictional stories is not a good idea. :p_

_To Jm1708: Aahw, thanks for the compliments, that's really sweet! :) And as unexpected as it is that so many people seem to like this story, I must say that the reviews truly make my day. ;)_

_To Xtina316: Yeah, it's always difficult to find the right balance. Too many details/not enough details, time moving too fast/time moving too slow, it's not easy, and I don't want to make the story boring by adding unnecessary things that people couldn't care less about. :p So I don't know, maybe the story's going too fast, maybe it isn't. Maybe I screwed up, maybe I didn't. But either way, seeing as there are only two chapters left at this point, it's entirely too late to do something about it now. :p So I hope you'll still enjoy the end of the story, and I will definitely take your advice into account when (and if) I start a new story! Thanks! :D _

_To Lizzie: Renée is in Phoenix, being happy with Phil. :p She's mentioned when Bella typed her an email and she will be mentioned later, but other than that she isn't a very big part of Bella's life, same as in the actual books. ;)_

_To Amber and LexiLeothegreat 909: Well, I don't have an idea for a new story, yet. xD I'm not sure if I will write a new story, it all depends on if I get some inspiration to do so… However if I start writing a new story, I'll make sure to update my profile and let you guys know what I'm working on._

_To Gnomegirl13: No, lol, I wouldn't do that. :p I'm all for happy endings. xD_

_To Lizzy: I'm afraid there won't be a sequel, there won't be much left of the original storyline after the epilogue. ;)_

_To Greystorm: Sure, have a FameWard. :p  
_

_To everyone who's wondering about Jake: No, he won't come up with evil plans anymore at this point. He's slowly starting to accept the fact that Bella loves Edward, and not him. He knows that he's got no other choice than to keep her as just a friend, and he's making an effort to be friends with her again because they've been friends for a long, long time. Ten years of friendship isn't something you easily forget about, that's why he has changed his mind after he'd had a week to cool down. _

_Hope that clears things up, new chapter! :D_

* * *

**Tuesday**

To say that Tuesday was weird would be an understatement. On any normal school day I would stick to my regular ritual of scanning the parking lot for Edward's Volvo, to see if he was already there, but today I knew that there was no point in looking for his car.

Mr. Brown took over our English class for today, and it was strange to see someone else standing in front of the blackboard. My brain constantly had to remind me of the fact that it was no use to lift my head up and stare, because the object of my affection wasn't there.

Other than the empty feeling of not seeing him all day, I felt a little anxious and on edge the entire time, nervous for the outcome of his interview. I figured that if I was feeling nervous, Edward had to be freaking out at this moment, so during lunch break I typed him a text message with some encouraging words.

'_Hey there! Nervous yet? Don't be, I'm sure you'll do great! I believe in you, and if they don't pick you it's their loss, because you are the best. Good luck today! x Bella'_

After a few minutes my phone made a loud beeping sound, and I opened his message.

'_Thanks, love, I appreciate your support. It's good to know that I'll always have my number-one-fan, no matter what happens. I'm on my way to Seattle now, I'm not sure how long the meeting will take, but I promise to let you know what's happening as soon as I have time. Your Edward'_

"Edward?" Rose guessed, not looking up from her chicken salad.

"Yep, he's on his way to Seattle, I wished him good luck." I filled her in, my voice higher than normal.

Rose laughed lightly. "Is it me, or are you as nervous as he probably is right now?"

"Busted." I admitted. "It's just that I desperately hope that this will work out."

"Oh just relax, it will be fine. Stop worrying about it for a while, you've supported him in every possible way, all you can do now is be patient." She tried to comfort me.

"I know that… And the world won't stop if he doesn't get the job, but if anyone deserves it, it's him. Besides, it would make things a hell of a lot easier."

"That's true." Rose agreed, glaring at her salad as if it had personally offended her in some way. "But for what it's worth, I think you guys are going to make it, no matter what."

I smiled at her, thankful that she always knew how to make me feel better. "Thanks, Rose."

"Anytime. Hey, are you eating that?" She added, pointing at my untouched slice of pizza.

I shook my head and pushed it in her direction. "No, go ahead, I don't really feel like eating."

"Excellent, because I don't really feel like eating salad." Rose stated dryly as she dropped her fork and tossed the bowl with chicken salad aside, attacking my abandoned slice of pizza instead.

xxx

Not worrying was easier said than done. The day dragged on and on, and when I finally met Rose in the parking lot after my last class, I had all but calmed down. Rosalie sensed my distress and she attempted to distract me with some fresh gossip about Jessica Stanley, who was currently dating two guys at once; if the rumors were true, of course.

"So according to Angela, she is dating Tyler, but she's also dating Austin, which is weird, because she doesn't even _like_ Austin! Not that I blame her, I mean who would like him, he's in desperate need of a shower… But then why is she dating him…" Rose chatted uninterruptedly as we were driving home.

"I think she's only trying to make Mike jealous, it's obvious that he's the one she actually wants." I gave her my theory.

Rose giggled. "Fat chance, Mike Newton only wants you."

"Fat chance, I wouldn't date Mike Newton if he were the last guy on earth."

We both laughed and Rose shook her head.

"That's not nice of us, Mike isn't that bad…" She said.

"No, he's not… If you're into the clingy, golden-retriever type of guy." I muttered.

Rose let a loud snort escape. "Touché. Poor Mike."

When we got home I tried to distract myself by making chicken enchiladas for tonight, and Rose provided some more distraction by inviting Emmett over for dinner. Seeing Emmett always cheered me up, and according to him my enchiladas had been the highlight of his day, which was nice to hear.

Around eight, the three of us were hanging in front of the television, and Rose had snatched the remote from Emmett before he could even protest, which resulted in us watching a chick flick rather than a movie where all the main characters get killed for no particular reason.

"Do we have to watch this?" Emmett complained.

I shrugged. "I honestly don't care what we watch, Em."

"I care!" Rosalie objected. "We're not watching that horror movie you want to see. Last Saturday I've seen enough blood and guts flying around on the screen to last me a lifetime."

Emmett rolled his eyes. "But this is boring, it's always the same! Chick meets guy, guy wants chick, chick doesn't want guy, chick finally realizes that she _does _want him, but guy has already moved on to another chick, who happens to be her best friend…"

"Could you shut your pie hole for five minutes?" Rose ended his rant.

"I was just saying…" He mumbled one last reply before wisely shutting his mouth, helped by the scowl that Rosalie was directing at him.

I tried to pay attention to the television, but it was hard since I was systematically glancing at my phone every ten seconds. I still hadn't heard from Edward, and at this point I considered calling him myself, but I was afraid that I was going to interrupt him during some important conversation. What on earth was taking him so long? Was this a good sign, or a bad sign? The suspense was killing me.

Perhaps it was because I had been waiting for the phone to ring all day long, but when the doorbell suddenly rang I literally sprang up from the couch.

"Bad conscience?" Emmett joked.

I stuck my tongue out at him and reluctantly headed for the door, ready to get rid of whoever it was, disturbing the staring-contest I was having with my cell phone.

"Who is it?" I barked into the speaker.

"Three guesses." His velvety voice answered.

Wait a minute… He was here? _He was here!_ "Edward! Come in!" I exclaimed, smashing the green button.

I opened the door, and there he was, smiling euphorically at me. He was wearing a suit, and even in all my confusion and surprise I didn't miss the fact that Edward in a suit was a very nice sight. "Edward! You're back, why didn't you call, how did it go?" I rambled, barely taking time to breathe.

He grinned even wider, his green eyes sparkling. "You, my pretty girl, are looking at the composer of the soundtrack for some vampire-movie called 'Twilight'."

"Oh my god!" I yelled, throwing myself into his arms. "That's wonderful! You did it! Why didn't you call?"

"I wanted to surprise you, sweetheart." He said as he firmly held me in his embrace. "Now, I'm aware that it's not a very known movie, yet, but it's based on a novel that's very popular, so the expectations are high."

"Wow, that's amazing, Edward! Why don't you come in?" I said, freeing myself from his embrace and tugging at his hand, leading him inside through the small passage and into the living room.

It wasn't until then that I recalled Emmett's existence, and I gasped involuntarily as I saw how he had turned himself around on the couch in order to gape at me and Edward. Rose was also looking at us, a disconcerted frown evident on her face.

"What's going on here?" Emmett asked, suspiciously glaring at the two of us.

I realized that I was still holding on to Edward's hand and I jerked it back in a reflex.

"We… I, Bella and I…" Edward started.

"Are obviously dating, I can see that." Emmett finished Edward's sentence in a sour tone. "Why didn't anyone tell me! You two make such an awesome couple!" He exclaimed in disbelief, seemingly not at all bothered by the fact that we were dating, but by the fact that no one had _informed_ him about it.

"Err, Em, they're not supposed to date, Edward's our teacher, remember?" Rose refreshed his memory, elbowing him in the ribs.

"Ah… right... Not allowed to date…" Emmett muttered. "Says who."

"Says society. I'm sorry, Emmett, seeing as we didn't want to get into trouble, we wanted to tell as few people as possible." Edward apologized to his friend. "And I must ask you to not spread the news until I've actually left Forks High."

"Wait, leave Forks High? You're quitting your job? Isn't anyone telling me anything anymore?" Emmett grumbled.

Edward rolled his eyes. "I've only known for a few hours myself. I'm going to compose the soundtrack for some upcoming vampire-movie." He officially filled in Emmett and Rose.

"Wow, that's great bro! Congratulations! Who would've thought that you and your piano would actually get somewhere, someday." Emmet boomed, grinning widely.

"I told you so!" Rose said, giving me a smug smile. "Congratulations, Edward."

"Thank you." Edward responded, beaming at them, mimicking a bow.

"Hmm, since Emmett knows now…" I mused, trailing off suggestively, locking my arms around Edward's neck and reaching up to kiss him.

He smirked and helped me out, touching his lips to mine. I smiled against his lips, and Emmett made a sound of disgust. "Gross! It's nice that you guys love each other very much, but please get a room." He teased us.

I wanted to come up with a witty remark, but then I realized that Emmett's idea wasn't half bad; I could use some alone time with my Mr. Cullen.

"My thoughts exactly." I said, wiggling my eyebrows at Emmett and taking Edward's hand again, pulling lightly and dragging him along to my room.

"You are kidnapping me, love?" Edward said playfully.

"You bet I am, mister."

I led him into my room and closed the door behind us. He was busy taking in his surroundings, but I had other plans with him, and I gently pushed him toward the bed.

"So happy to see me, huh?" He joked as I motioned for him to sit down, but he complied anyway, sinking down onto the edge of my bed.

"Yes. I'm so proud of you, Edward." I said solemnly, lowering myself onto his lap, effectively straddling him. "Not to mention you look tremendously handsome in a suit." I added, leaning in to whisper the words in his ear.

He inhaled sharply and I grinned, I was still a bit baffled that I was able to have such a big effect on this beautiful man.

"You think this boring suit makes me look handsome?" He asked, skeptically raising one of his eyebrows at me.

"Oh yes, you look unbelievably cute, Mr. Cullen… But the tie is a bit too much, so formal, don't you think?" I asked rhetorically, leaning back a little so I could take a better look at his appearance.

"Not really, I had to look decent for the interview." He disagreed in a casual tone.

"Well, the interview is over." I reminded him in a soft voice, reaching up my hand, my fingers gently caressing the side of his neck.

His emerald eyes were closely watching me as I started to fumble with his tie, and I looked up, flashing him a shy smile. I got rid of the tie and opened the top button of his light-blue shirt, revealing a few inches of his perfect chest. I also found that his hair was to neat for my liking, and I ran my hands through it, several times, 'fixing it'.

"Much better." I concluded when I was done, satisfied with the small adjustments that I had just made.

"Good to know that you approve of my looks, Miss Swan." He teased me, his tempting lips turning up into a kissable, sexy smirk.

"Hmm, I certainly do." I murmured, closing the distance between us again and softly placing a short, sweet kiss on those inviting lips.

Before he had a chance to deepen the kiss I moved down to his jaw, my lips feverishly moving against his smooth skin in their mission to cover his entire face in kisses, and he tentatively stroked both his hands through my hair. My own hands were on his face, thoroughly tracing his flawless features, and I committed every detail to my memory.

Eventually I had enough of teasing him; of teasing myself, and I crushed my lips against his, pressing my body impossibly closer to his. He gasped in surprise, and his warm breath blew against my lips, making my head swim and causing my breathing to become shallow. Our lips were moving in perfect synchronization, and I knotted my hands in his hair, making it even more messy.

"I should switch jobs more often." Edward hummed against my lips in a husky voice.

I laughed, breaking free and lovingly brushing the back of my hand against his cheek. "You deserved a reward, Edward." I said, blinking innocently at him.

He chuckled and firmly wrapped his arms around me, holding me tightly in his embrace. I rested my head on his shoulder and absentmindedly stared out of the only window in my room, into the dark, foggy night sky.

"So when do they want you to start?" I asked conversationally.

"Preferably yesterday." Edward said, laughing a little. "They're on a tight schedule because they've had a lot of trouble finding the right person to do the job. I'm going to have a talk with principal Greene tomorrow, but it would be best if I started working on some new material as soon as possible."

"As soon as possible sounds good."

"Yes, it does, doesn't it… Of course I understand that principal Greene needs some time to look for someone to replace me, but if it takes too long, maybe Mr. Brown can take over my classes until then, seeing as this is sort of an emergency." He mused. "I sure as hell hope to be out of there by the end of next week."

"Next week… that sounds so soon." I mumbled, sighing happily. "Way better than five months."

"Hmm, yes… Imagine all the things we'll be able to do." He said, his musical voice full of promises.

"It almost sounds too good to be true…" I responded dreamily. "But did you say that you'll have to compose new music? They're not going to use the songs that Alice sent them?" I added curiously, since he had mentioned working on some new music.

"There are some musical arrangements needed for particular scenes that I will still have to work on, but they're also using some of my original compositions... Which reminds me, I have to ask you something…" He murmured, planting a kiss in my hair.

I lifted my head up and partly freed myself from his embrace so I could see his face. "Ask away…"

"Okay…" He started cautiously, his eyes a light emerald now. "It's the plan that your lullaby will be used as the most important song of the movie, the main theme if you will, since they were very enthusiastic about that song in particular… But it's still your song, so if you don't want me to use it, I completely understand and I'll come up with something new."

I momentarily gaped at him before I found my voice. "Are you kidding! Of course you should use it!"

"Are you sure? After all, it belongs to you." He insisted.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Silly Edward, I'm one hundred percent positive, I might have inspired you, but it's still your creation."

He smiled a heartbreaking, uneven smile. "Just wanted to make sure."

"I think it's a great honor." I said, kissing the tip of his nose before snuggling closer to him again, placing my head back on his shoulder.

We stayed like that for quite some time, comfortable in each other's arms. I was perfectly content, until I recalled the fact that he would have to go home… I didn't want him to leave. Not now, not ever.

"Edward?" I whispered uncertainly.

"Yes, love?"

"Don't leave me."

"I would never leave you… Where did you get that idea?" He asked, sounding genuinely confused and slightly alarmed.

"That's not what I mean… I meant stay here… Now… tonight… forever. Sing me to sleep… I sleep so much better in your arms." I explained softly.

I readjusted myself on his lap, and gazed up at him with a pleading look.

He was deliberating for a long moment, but suddenly the corners of his mouth slowly turned up. "Forever might be a problem, but I'm sure we can make an exception for tonight… It's not like I can deny you anything." He gave in, smiling at me.

I returned his smile with a bright smile of my own, and pecked him on the lips. "Thank you! The bed's a little small, but we'll manage, right?"

He smirked. "Sure. We'll just have to snuggle really close."

Another radiant smile broke across my face. "Works for me, I don't have any problems with that, at all."

"Figures." Edward teased me, nuzzling his face against my neck.

I giggled as his lips were skimming against my throat, and tugged on his hands to free myself. His arms loosened around me and I got up as he curiously watched me. I pulled off my shoes, and grinned at him.

"Sleeping with your shoes on is rather uncomfortable." I hinted.

"You've got a point there, my Bella." He agreed dryly, following my example, taking off his shoes, and also removing his jacket.

I let myself fall back onto the bed, and crawled under the covers, holding them open, patting the vacant space next to me. He didn't have to think twice and joined me without hesitating, sliding under the covers and laying down, instantly wrapping his arms around me.

"This is cozy." I remarked, resting my head against his chest.

Edward let out a low chuckle. "Very snug. Even with the obvious lack of space, I don't think we'll have any trouble sleeping." He turned his head to kiss my forehead, and I let out another sigh of contentment.

This was how it was supposed to be, I felt so relaxed and complete, just like I had during our weekend in Port Angeles. Safe in his arms, surrounded by his sweet scent… And one thing was different from the last time I'd slept in his arms, better even… Because this time, the promise of something better in the near future was prominently present in our minds.

"Will you… sing… Edward?" I asked, already slipping out of my conscious state.

"I'll sing until you're sound asleep, love." His soothing voice assured me.

I felt how he planted another kiss on my forehead, and then he softly started to hum my favorite tune in that inhumanly beautiful voice of his. The heavenly melody lulled me further toward unconsciousness without me even noticing, and I slipped into a deep, peaceful sleep.

* * *

_That's it for today, thanks for reading! :D I'll update again as soon as possible… Only two updates left. :(_


	24. Goodbye

_Hey folks! :)_

_Important announcement! xD I changed my mind. I said two updates left, but since a lot of you requested the 'meet the parents' scene, I've decided that I'm going to add it. So there will be this chapter, which was officially planned as the last chapter, then there will be the chapter where they meet each other's parents, and as promised, there will be an epilogue. So after today's update, __**one chapter and an epilogue left!**_

_Thank you for reviewing; _**Thari, Lisa, Jrow1107, Maren, Yuval25, Marijne, Amber, Jm1708, Laura, Daphne83nl, Avery Shane, Texbratt67, She Isn't Here, LexiLeothegreat909, Bella12797, Geurralisa, AutumnOtts, Wackynicolecsu, The-Elusive-Charmer, Mysterious Jae, Lost-girl666, Sweettwilightvamps13, Xtina316, Alix-09**_**,**_**RPattzmania, Lizzy, Heal This Heartbreak, Greystorm,****Sprinter1, Uniqueuchenna, Heal my bleeding heart, Bella'Swan'22, Lizzie, ShikaGirl1990, J5girl3101, Lil miss bella cullen, Feelslikeinsomnia, HiddenInTheWords, Gnomegirl13 **_and_** Kfeve11! **_Thanks for sticking with me and still reading this! :D_

_And also, thanks for the gift card, Maren, thanks for Edward's first album (Yay! :p) LexiLeothegreat909, thanks for the almond Hershey bar, AutumnOtts, thanks for the Cullens and Seth, Heal my bleeding heart, thanks for the SnuggleWard, Bella'Swan'22, and thanks for the year's supply of Cadbury dairy milk, Lizzie! xD_

_To Thari: You're a weirdo. xD An awesome weirdo… but still. :p And sure, you can marry the story. :p_

_To Lisa: Yes, as soon as this is finished and my head is a little less full, I promise I will start brainstorming. xD But I'll only write a new story if I come up with an idea that I like. :p I'll try. xD_

_To Laura: I always try to update as soon as possible! ;)_

_To Lizzy: Don't worry, I won't break them up, we're heading straight for the happily ever after now. :p_

_To Lizzie: I will update the last chapters as soon as I can, but I'm pretty sure this will be finished in less than two weeks now. _

_To Feelslikeinsomnia: Yay,you're from Belgium! :D Ja, Nederlands is eigenlijk maar een maffe taal als je er over nadenkt. :p Over het algemeen vind ik de spelling/grammatica in het Engels eigenlijk nog logischer en makkelijker ook. xD Nogal vaag, aangezien Nederlands toch eigenlijk mijn moedertaal is. :p_

_To gnomegirl13: Lol, they won't. :p But you know, they could, of course I would have to make up new names and such. :p_

_To everyone who asked for a sequel: Yeah, I know a lot of you are dying to read a sequel. xD But let me tell you, if I did that, it wouldn't have anything to do with the original storyline anymore, and I'm afraid that it would be rather boring and not even half as good as this story. :p_

_Okay, new chapter! Have fun… Now there are really two updates left. xD_

* * *

**Goodbye**

I gradually resurfaced from my heavy sleep and I stirred a little, coming to the conclusion that there wasn't much room in my bed to stir in the first place. Weird, I was aware that my bed was fairly small, but not _this_ small… My still sleepy brain was trying to figure out what was going on, and then I suddenly realized what it was that had woken me up… For once it wasn't the annoying sound of the alarm clock, or Rosalie's chirping voice… It were soft, smooth lips, and they were slowly moving up and down against my throat, leaving a trail of openmouthed kisses.

I moaned in pleasure, and the response I got was his low, soft laugh.

"Good morning, love." He whispered against my throat.

"Edward." I sighed his name in contentment as I slowly opened my eyes.

"Sorry to wake you, sweetheart. If it were up to me we would stay here all day, but we have to get to school." He said, his tone reluctant.

My eyes were completely opened now, and I stared directly into his bright, emerald orbs as he stopped kissing me for a moment and looked up at me from under his lashes. His hair was even more tousled than usual, and like most of the time, I couldn't resist the urge to touch it.

"Let's call in sick." I suggested in a rather whiny voice while I played with his hair.

One glance at my delicious boyfriend… That was all it took for me to be even more opposed to the idea of getting out of bed and facing another day of school. To my disappointment he firmly shook his head, an amused expression on his face.

"I have to talk to principal Greene, remember? The sooner I talk to him, the sooner I'll get out of Forks High." He reminded me.

That was an incredibly good argument, and I gave him a defeated smile. "Right, now there's something to motivate me."

"That's what I thought." He murmured, leaning in and softly kissing me on the lips.

My arms snaked around his neck, keeping him in place as I enthusiastically returned the kiss. I moved impossibly closer to him, moving half on top of him, never breaking the contact between our lips. I didn't stop until I actually saw stars dancing in front of my eyes due to the lack of oxygen, and I fell back onto my pillow, panting heavily.

"Eager today, are we?" Edward asked, humor in his velvety voice.

"Stop making fun of me! It's not my fault that you're looking so hot." I grumbled at him.

"Ah right, bad mood in the morning, how could I forget about that." He teased me some more.

"Then why don't you _do_ something about my bad mood, huh?" I challenged him.

"I could try…" Edward mused.

I gave him an expectant look, but before I could ask him what his master plan was, he suddenly rolled on top of me. He rested on his arms, trapping me beneath him but being careful not to crush me with his weight.

He started to move his face closer to mine in a tortuously slow pace, until he suddenly attacked my jaw, brushing his lips against it. He swiftly worked his way up, and I realized what he was aiming for… I moaned loudly as he reached that wonderful spot beneath my ear, gently sucking and nipping at my skin.

"Cheater." I whimpered, my voice breaking.

"Are you in a better mood, yet?" He seductively whispered against my skin, deliberately ignoring my complaints.

"I'm not sure, maybe you should just keep going." I suggested innocently.

He chuckled and detached his lips from my skin, leaning back and hovering over me, giving me an adorable look. "Nice try, my Bella. We're running late as it is."

"Late, smate." I mumbled dismissively.

"I know, love, but I should go now… I have to go home to change, I can't go to school looking like this." He said, giving me one last kiss on the lips before he sat up.

I sighed, also sitting up and watching him as he put on his shoes and jacket. He tried to smooth out his hair a little, in order to try and make his appearance somewhat decent, and I laughed at his failed attempt.

"Not working, you still look like you just rolled out of bed." I informed him.

"Djeez, thanks for all your help." He huffed.

"You're welcome, buddy." I said with a straight face, lightly patting him on the back.

He smirked at me as he got up, and I did the same, reluctantly leaving the comfort of my warm bed. We quietly walked to the front door, and he kissed my forehead as I let him out.

"See you later, sweetheart." He said softly.

"Later can't be soon enough." I assured him, giving him a last, brief hug.

He threw me the uneven smile I liked so much, before turning around and disappearing down the stairs. I closed the door and made my way to the kitchen for a quick breakfast, when I noticed that Rose was already sitting at the kitchen table, eating a granola bar.

"Busted, young lady!" Rose squealed, her voice filled with excitement. "You slept with Edward Cullen!"

"Yes, and for your information, sleeping is all we did." I enlightened her, rolling my eyes.

"Whatever. So did you tie him to your bed or did he let go of his carefully composed distance-boundaries?" Rose joked.

"No bondage was involved, so I guess we can conclude that he voluntarily stayed with me." I told her in a mock serious tone.

She laughed, wiggling her eyebrows. "Good for him… and for you."

"I couldn't agree more… And you know what else? We'll soon be able to do this _whenever_ we please." I said, sighing dreamily.

"I'm so happy for you guys, it's nice to see my best friend this ecstatic all the time." She said sincerely, getting up and giving me a short hug. "Now get dressed, or we'll be late for your Mr. Cullen's class."

xxx

Nothing could ruin this day, I was positive about that. That was what waking up in the arms of a beautiful man did to a girl. I was smiling serenely as I took my place in English class, satisfied as I mindlessly gazed at Edward who was standing in front of the blackboard. He started class and all the females in the room were hanging on his every word as soon as he started his lecture. Take a good look ladies, and looking is all you'll ever do when it comes to Edward Cullen, because he slept in _my_ bed last night!

The mere thought made me smile all over again. After a short explanation he told us to work on the assignments that were written on the blackboard, and all my fellow students obediently followed his orders. It was a rare occasion, but I joined my classmates and started working on the assignments. Not that I even got past assignment one, seeing as my thoughts got carried away after less than five minutes. I was in my own happy place until my cell phone started to buzz, interrupting me.

'_What are you daydreaming about, Miss Swan?'_

I glanced at him and he was smiling at me. I grinned back at him and started to compose a new message.

'_I'm daydreaming about you. You in my bed, to be more precisely.'_

He read the message, and smiled smugly at me. I saw that he typed another message, a short one I guessed, considering that it took him no time at all to respond.

'_How about we do that again Friday, when we're allowed to do it?'_

I had to read his message twice until I realized what he was saying… Oh my god. Friday. Was he for real? My heart skipped a beat as my fingers were already violently pressing the keys on my phone.

'_Are you saying what I think you're saying? You're allowed to quit at the end of this week?!'_

He briefly looked at his phone before turning his attention to me again, nodding almost invisibly.

I mouthed an 'Oh my god' at him, and he smiled radiantly before he started typing again, longer this time.

'_I talked to principal Greene and I was lucky, he understood that I didn't want to miss this opportunity. Mr. Brown can take over my classes for now, he doesn't have a problem with making some extra hours for a couple of weeks. Only three days left, love. Start counting down.'_

My eyes connected with his again, and he looked nothing but immensely happy. I was sure that his expression of joy was reflected on my own face, and it took me a lot of willpower to restrain myself from jumping up from my chair and doing a happy dance in the middle of class. Surely that would draw attention…

I managed to stay motionlessly in my chair, but inside, my heart was doing the dancing for me. Five months had just become three days. Three days… An insignificant amount of time when compared to a lifetime. No everlasting months of waiting ahead of us anymore, only a few short days. Edward and I were going to make it, there wasn't a trace of doubt left in my system at this point. We would survive.

xxx

It turned out I was right. Three days was nothing, _absolutely nothing_, compared to five months. For some reason, time wasn't dragging on anymore, and before long, Friday arrived. Officially Edward's very last day as a teacher at Forks High, and therefore also officially the last day of us doing something that was considered illegal.

Needless to say, a goofy grin had been plastered on my face practically all day long. Even when Edward had made the announcement during English class that this was going to be his last day, I had grinned widely. It was rather funny actually, considering all my other female classmates who had gasped in shock the second he had brought the news. Their faces had been horror-struck, while at the same time I had been laughing inwardly. _Take that, you evil girls who are constantly ogling my boyfriend! Good luck with ogling old Mr. Brown from now on!_

Currently I was walking out of the gym, and I headed for the parking lot to find Rose. Halfway there I bumped into her, and she smirked at me.

"You're in a good mood." She observed, probably referring to my moronic grin.

"You bet I am, and I have every reason to be." I responded, the smile never leaving my face.

"You sure do." Rose agreed. "Are you riding with me?"

"No… Actually, I want to stay a little longer." I said, winking at her. "I sort of feel the need to say an official goodbye."

She snorted. "Silly Bella, after this you can see him whenever you like… But sure, I'll see you at home."

We said our goodbyes and both went our own separate ways.

I walked through the deserted halls of Forks High, my fluttering heart already anticipating my impending meeting with Edward. The door of his classroom was partly opened, and for the first time ever I made an effort to actually knock.

"Knock knock." I said, tapping the door and poking my head around it.

He was busy clearing out his desk, throwing his stuff into a cardboard box, and his head snapped up at the sound of my voice.

"Bella! Come in." He said, giving me his crooked smile. "Came to say goodbye to your favorite teacher?" He added in a playful tone.

"Yeah, don't ask why, it was sort of a spur of the moment decision. For closure's sake, I guess." I admitted.

"It's always good to see you, no matter the reason." He said sweetly before he turned his attention back to the mess on his desk.

I walked over to the desk and tentatively sat down on a small, vacant space at the edge, eyeing him as he continued to gather his stuff.

"Must be weird, leaving after barely two months of teaching." I mused as I mindlessly picked up a pen from the desk and started fumbling with it.

"Yes… It's a little strange I suppose, but I don't mind, because it's definitely a good thing." He reminded me, looking up and flashing me a smile.

"I know, but still, you will be missed. You broke a lot of hearts today, Mr. Cullen." I joked.

He chuckled and shook his head as he resumed his packing. "As long as your heart isn't one of them, I couldn't care less."

I shrugged. "Well it's true, you gave the entire female population of Forks High something to dream about."

Edward glanced up at me and rolled his eyes. "You truly do give me too much credit."

"No, you're simply blind. Either that or you can't accept the fact that you're the most gorgeous man in the world." I replied stubbornly.

He sighed and turned to me, neglecting the stack of papers that he'd been sorting out, reaching out one of his strong hands and gently cupping the side of my face. "You don't see me clearly, you silly girl." He murmured.

He leaned in and swiftly brushed his lips against mine, before quickly pulling back. I pouted at him, and he laughed at my disappointed expression.

"I'm sorry, love, but it won't be fun for either of us if we get caught kissing during my very last hour as your teacher." He apologized.

"Right… That would be plain stupid of us." I muttered, the pout abruptly leaving my face.

He threw some last stuff into the box and closed it determinedly.

"Can I give you a ride home?" He offered, gazing up at me again, a joyful sparkle in his green eyes.

"That would be nice." I said, beaming at him.

He picked up the box, and I noticed that for a long moment, he glanced around the classroom with a distant look in his eyes. In a reflex I briefly took his hand, lightly squeezing it. "What are you thinking, Edward?"

"Nothing… It just feels a bit weird. Only two months, but it's safe to say that those were the most important months of my entire life. It was all so short, and over all it seems sort of useless… But my job here changed everything, and I can't imagine never coming here and never meeting you." He explained his thoughts to me.

"Ditto. I think becoming a teacher at Forks High is one of the best decisions you've ever made, despite all the drama that came with it. I can't even stand the idea of never knowing you." I agreed.

For a short moment he wrapped his arm around me, giving me a small, sideways hug before releasing me again. "So this is it…" He quietly remarked.

"Yes, you know what this means, right?" I asked rhetorically, my tone lighter now.

"I think I have a fairly good image about all the advantages of quitting this job, yes." He said, laughing a soft, enchanting laugh.

"I bet you do… Goodbye Mr. Cullen, hello Edward Cullen, famous musician." I said cheerfully.

He rolled his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous, you crazy girl, famous is such a strong word… Though this is going to be so much better than my teacher-salary, I'll give you that." He commented dryly.

I snorted, and he grinned back as he took my hand, pulling me toward the exit of the room. I followed him and he let go of my hand as soon as we reached the door. He pressed the light-switch, and the room went dark.

"Goodbye, Forks High." Edward said in a mock dramatic voice.

We both started laughing as we stepped into the hallway, and I firmly shut the door behind us.

Finally! My heart was singing and it felt as if my whole body was sighing in relief; as if a huge weight had fallen off of my shoulders at the exact moment that I had closed the door. I sneaked a look at Edward as we made our way out of the building, all the while keeping a reasonable teacher-student distance between us, and I was pretty sure that he was feeling exactly the same euphoria, seeing as it was written all over his flawless face.

We stepped outside into the cool, damp air that was one of the inevitable characteristics of the area around Forks, and a thought suddenly crossed my mind... As from today, I was no longer in love with my teacher. I was in love with Edward Cullen, the sweetest, most perfect, most caring man in the universe. And the best part? As from now on, I was _allowed_ to love him.

* * *

_Thanks for reading! It's going to be a busy week for me, but I promise I will update again as soon as I can! :)_


	25. Meet The Parents

_Hey guys! :D_

_Thank you so much for reviewing; _**Heal This Heartbreak, Lizzy, Lisa, Lyssa, Porcelain-Shadow, Rosaa, Lost-girl666, Alix-09, Jm1708, xWickedlovelyx, The-Elusive-Charmer, Marijne, Porkkana, Lizzie, Thari, Lil miss bella cullen, Becky, JillWithTheVampiresx, Greystorm, Wackynicolecsu, HiddenInTheWords, Amy, Jordan, Kfeve11, Gnomegirl13, AutumnOtts, Twilightluver39, Meagancullen1, xoStaybeautiful, Mouse555, Avery Shane, Sprinter1, Bella12797, Jess, Texbratt67, Cb, Maren, RPattzmania, Amber, Jasmine,****She Isn't Here **_and_** SuperSayjinPanny!**_ Free, digital hugs for all my awesome reviewers! :)_

_And also; Thanks Rosaa for Edward's ipod (yay! :D), thanks for the guy to sing me songs (xD), Lizzie, thanks for the dresses and the DVD, Thari, thanks for the chocolate covered strawberries (I love strawberries and I love chocolate. :D), AutumnOtts, and thanks for the Ferrari and the Edward-genie-in-a-bottle (Lol! :p), She Isn't Here! _

_To Marijne: Dankjewel! Ik moet toch nog even melden dat ik het superlief vind dat je al mijn verhalen zo fanatiek leest en steeds reviewt! :D Alleen nog de epiloog na vandaag. ;)_

_To Thari: Muwhaha, you want to marry my Mr. Cullen? I'm afraid you'll have to take a number. xD You know what, just ask him. :p You can marry him… if he agrees. :p_

_To Becky: Thanks! Looking forward to your reviews, hope you'll like the rest of the story as well. :)_

_To HiddenInTheWords: No, he won't propose, it's a little early for that. Bella will go to college first, etc. :p You'll see. ;)_

_To Jordan: Lol, marrying a story, now that's something you don't see every day. :p_

_To Kfeve11: Two updates, actually, but one after today's chapter. xD_

_To Mouse555: It really isn't, Dutch is my first language. xD_

_To Jasmine: It's very sweet of you to share your ideas, but I never drag out my stories for the sake of making them longer. :p There will be a nice, fluffy epilogue, though. ;)_

_So here it is, the requested meet-the-parents-chapter! It's a bit long, oopsie. xD Only one update left now. :( I will put up the last part of this story as soon as it's finished, so stay tuned!_

* * *

**Meet The Parents**

Things went very well after that, and it was such a relief that Edward and I could be with each other more often. Of course we didn't go out in public during the first few weeks, but I frequently stayed over at Edward's place, and sometimes we hung out with Rose and Emmett at our place. It was great that we were finally allowed to act like two people who were deeply in love with each other, rather than hiding it all the time, and lately I was in a permanent state of pure bliss.

Edward was working very hard, recording new material and composing new arrangements for the movie. Luckily he owned all the equipment that was required to record new demos, which meant that he was mostly working at home; at least until the music would be recorded at an actual studio. Unfortunately he did have to make the fairly long trip to Seattle every now and then for meetings, as well as to go over his new ideas with the producers, and it made me think about the future. Seeing as he had already received other offers to compose music for several television shows after he was done with 'Twilight', chances were that he would have to keep traveling back and forth between Forks and Seattle…

These last weeks my brain had been very busy, thinking of solutions to make things easier for us, and eventually it had come up with a really good option… I'd always known that I wanted to go to college after graduating, but I'd never given it much thought _where _I would go to college. I didn't prefer a particular university, but the way things were now, Seattle suddenly seemed like the perfect choice. I was planning on discussing the subject of us moving to Seattle soon, but knowing Edward he would be all for my little suggestion.

It had been almost a month now since Edward had quit his job, and it was a boring Saturday morning. Rose and I were thoroughly cleaning the house, and right now I was scrubbing the bathroom floor while Rose was cleaning the kitchen. Rosalie was loudly singing along with the radio. Her version of 'Bad Romance' was a hideous crime against the human hearing, but she was in a good mood and I didn't want to ruin her fun, so I quietly laughed and otherwise didn't comment.

I heard the phone ring but assumed that Rose would pick it up, seeing as I was completely covered in bleach and all-purpose cleaner. I dutifully resumed my task, but my scrubbing didn't last long, because I heard Rosalie yelling my name.

"Bella! Phone." She called from the kitchen.

I sighed, getting up and quickly drying my hands before skipping out of the bathroom and into the kitchen.

"Who is it?" I asked her.

She rolled her eyes. "Who else but your Edward."

I snorted and picked up the phone.

"Hey you." I said enthusiastically.

"Hello, love. What are you doing?"

"Cleaning the bathroom, exciting isn't it." I joked.

"Very. The thought of you wearing a pair of ugly, yellow, rubber gloves is very tempting." He replied, chuckling.

"Funny, mister!" I complained. "So did you have a purpose, calling me? Or were you merely seeking for an opportunity to make fun of me."

"I have a purpose, my Bella. A rather good one, if you ask me." He said teasingly.

"Let's hear it." I pushed him.

"Well, it's been almost a month since I quit my job… And I sort of told Esme and Carlisle that I have a girlfriend, and they would love to meet you… Actually, Esme invited us over for dinner tonight." He explained cautiously.

I was shocked for a moment that he had already told them, seeing as I hadn't had the guts to tell Charlie, yet, but I was definitely curious to meet his parents.

"Wow, that's great, I would love to! Oh wait… but it's Saturday, you know that Saturday's my night with Charlie. I promised to cook him dinner tonight." I muttered as my overexcited brain had calmed down and recalled this little fact.

"I know, love… That's what I told Esme, and then she invited him over, too." Edward confessed, sounding a little uneasy.

"She did?" I asked in shock.

"Yeah… You see, my parents already sort of know your father, he's the chief of police and my dad is the town's doctor… In a town as small as Forks… well you get the idea. And Esme thought it would be a wonderful plan to have a nice dinner in order for us to all get to know each other. Besides, don't you think that it's time that I formally introduce myself to your father?" Edward rambled.

"No! Yes! Probably… But I haven't even told Charlie about us! He'll go berserk!" I exclaimed hysterically.

"Why? I'm not your teacher anymore." Edward said, sounding puzzled.

"I know, but you're seven years older, and even though it doesn't feel that way to me, he'll flip! Not to mention, this is Forks, either your parents or Charlie will come to the conclusion that you were teaching at Forks High during the time that I was a student there! All of us at the same dining table will end in a disaster." I ranted in panic.

"I already thought about that, love. If someone brings it up, we'll just tell them that you were in Mr. Brown's English class instead of mine, and that we hadn't really met at school before you met me at Emmett's place some time after I'd already quit my job." Edward told me calmly.

Impressive! This guy was good. "That's a convincing story." I admitted quietly.

"Is that a yes?" Edward asked. "I mean, we'll have to do this eventually, I suppose it would be best to get it over with."

I sighed in defeat. "Fine… But you know what? I'll pick up Charlie and meet you at your parents' place. I want to have a little talk with him first, so I can mentally prepare him for all this."

"Yes, preparing him might be a good plan." Edward agreed. "Around six?"

"Sure, around six." I repeated warily.

"Don't worry, Bella. It will all work out fine." He said reassuringly when he heard my anguished tone.

"Sure sure." I muttered. "I'll see you tonight… _If_ I succeed in dragging Charlie along." I added dryly.

"It'll be fine, you'll see." He said, some amusement in his silky voice.

"Whatever you say. Bye, Edward." I responded, letting out another sigh.

"See you tonight, love. I'm counting the minutes until I'll be able to see your pretty face again." He said sincerely before hanging up the phone.

Charming, but his sweet words weren't able to take away the awful scenarios that my brain was currently coming up with.

This was just great. Truly marvelous. I would have to tell my impossible father that I was dating a guy who was no less than seven years older than I was, and on top of that, I had to invite him to have dinner with said guy and the parents of said guy. Although I had to admit that Charlie wasn't the most difficult parent in the world, usually, but when it came to dating…

He could be so overprotective when it came to boys, and I also had to take into account that I'd never dated anyone before, so this was a completely new experience for Charlie. And last but not least, he was a cop, a cop who owned a gun. If it weren't for the fact that I knew that Charlie wasn't a big fan of violence unless it was absolutely necessary, I would've feared for Edward's wellbeing.

This was going to be a _very _long night, I knew that much. But Edward did have a point, I couldn't deny that. This had to happen sooner or later, so putting it off any longer was useless anyway. We would just have to endure it…

xxx

A heavy feeling in my stomach was obviously present as I walked through Charlie's front door. He was sitting at the kitchen table, reading today's newspaper, but he looked up as soon as he heard me stumbling into the kitchen.

"Hey Bells! Good to see you!" He greeted me, smiling.

"Hi, dad." I replied, making an effort to sound calm and collected. "How's it going?"

"Great!" He answered cheerfully, which made me think that he was in a good mood, at least. "Did you have a nice week, kiddo?"

"Yes…" I muttered.

He seemed totally oblivious to my nervous state, and he gave me another friendly smile.

"So, what are you making for dinner tonight?" He asked conversationally.

Oh no… There was no backing out now.

"I… we… I'm not…" I tried to form a sentence, but failed miserably.

"What is it, Bells?" Charlie asked, raising his eyebrows at me and sounding slightly worried.

"Actually… We're invited to have dinner at Mr. and Mrs. Cullen's place tonight." I blurted out.

Charlie's face turned into a mask of confusion. "Ah, Doctor Cullen and his wife? I know them, nice people… But what do you mean they _invited_ us? Do _you _know them?"

There it was, as if on cue, my personal imitation of a lobster. "I don't know them, yet… I am… dating their son, Edward Cullen. He asked me if I wanted to meet his parents tonight, and Mrs. Cullen invited you over, too. It told her that it was alright, seeing as Edward and I have been dating for over three weeks now, so I think it's time that the two of you meet." I managed to choke out my chaotic explanation.

A frown appeared on Charlie's face, and it was hard to tell what he was thinking. "You're _dating_? Their son? I thought they didn't have any children your age." He mused out loud after a short silence, squinting his eyes at me.

I bit my lip, unable to come up with any excuses, and I realized that there was no other choice than to tell him the inevitable truth. "Okay, don't freak out, dad. Edward's a tiny bit older than I am." I informed him in a weak voice.

The frown turned into a suspicious glare. "Tell me what your definition of 'a tiny bit' is." He demanded.

"Seven years." I squeaked.

Charlie merely gaped at me, and the scowl never left his face as he proceeded his gaping.

"Say something, dad." I pleaded when I couldn't take the horrible silence anymore. "I know it sounds bad, but Edward is amazing… He's the kindest, most polite guy you'll ever meet… If you could just give him a chance…"

"Sure he is." Was all he grumbled in response.

"Oh come on, please don't be difficult… I love him, dad, and he loves me. Please come with me to the dinner. You like the Cullens, right?" Insert some puppy-eyes here.

Another long silence, but after a while the grimace on his face slowly disappeared, and he huffed in what sounded like defeat. "Yeah… Well you're both adults, I guess… And doctor Cullen and his wife are good people."

I inhaled deeply in relief as both his face and tone softened.

"So you're coming?" I verified.

"Sure. Might as well find out who my daughter is dating." He muttered, doing his best to sound impassive.

"Thank you, dad! That means a lot to me… I promise that you won't be disappointed, Edward's a real gentleman."

Charlie skeptically rolled his eyes. "We'll see about that."

Yes, we would see, indeed. I silently prayed that my dad would be as charmed by Edward as I was. At least it helped that he seemed to like Edward's parents…

Nonetheless, I was still worried about the outcome of this evening. Ah well, it couldn't be that bad, as long as Charlie made sure to leave his gun at home. I inwardly giggled at my lame, mental joke, gradually relaxing a little for the first time since I'd entered Charlie's kitchen.

Perhaps Edward was right, I was worrying too much. If we both made sure to stick to the story of meeting at Emmet's place after Edward had already left Forks High, there weren't going to be any problems at all.

xxx

My eyes all but popped out of their sockets as the Cullen house came into sight. It was hidden between the trees and ferns, at the end of the long, unpaved road that we had followed into the green forest. That wasn't a house, that was a castle! Alright, castle would be exaggerating, but to say that it was huge would be putting it mildly. The mansion was mostly white, and there were a lot of windows; over all it looked very fancy, and I briefly stared at it in awe.

I parked my old truck in front of the garage and turned to crack a smile at Charlie, who had been awfully quiet during the ten minute drive.

"Now that's what I call a house." I remarked dryly, expressing my shock and at the same time hoping to lighten his mood a bit.

Charlie nodded in agreement. "Yes, Doctor Cullen is a very wealthy man."

Wealthy was an understatement, these people were _loaded_. Considering that, and the fact that Edward looked like a male model, I was seriously starting to wonder how it was possible that Edward hadn't grown up to be an arrogant prick.

I took a deep breath as we got out of the truck, and Charlie remained quiet as we walked up to the front door, his face straight. I rang the doorbell and in no time Edward opened the door, giving us his most charming smile. _Nice work, buddy! We're going to need a hell of a lot of your dazzling-powers in order to make Charlie happy._

"Edward!" I exclaimed, not bothering to hide my enthusiasm for Charlie's sake.

"Hello, love." He said, leaning in to sweetly kiss my forehead. He turned to Charlie, throwing in another dazzling smile. "It's very nice to meet you, Chief Swan. I'm Edward Cullen." He said politely, holding up his hand.

Charlie's face was impenetrable, but at least he took Edward's hand to shake it. "Nice to meet you, Edward." He produced a nearly invisible smile as the words left his mouth.

"Come in, Carlisle and Esme are waiting inside." Edward said, the polite tone never wavering.

We followed him into a spacious hallway, and it caught my attention that the house was very nicely decorated. A lot of light colors were used in the interior, and most of the furniture was white. Everything was matching perfectly; the house was as impressive on the inside as it was on the outside.

Edward led us into the living room where his parents were waiting for us, and it wasn't hard to see now where Edward got his looks from. I'd never seen Doctor Cullen before at the hospital, because my regular doctor was Doctor Gerandy, but I was pretty sure that the nurses at Forks Hospital had a hard time concentrating with him around. He looked way too young to have a twenty-five year old son, and his face looked like an older version of Edward's. Edward's mother also looked rather young, and she had a friendly, heart-shaped face and caramel-colored hair.

They both got up from the couch, approaching us with friendly smiles on their faces.

"Charlie! Good to see you again." Doctor Cullen said, grinning at Charlie.

"Yes, long time no see. How are you doing?" Charlie's voice sounded friendly and somewhat more relaxed than before, and I heard how he and Dr. Cullen made some small talk.

Mrs. Cullen took the opportunity to turn her full attention to me."Bella! What an honor to finally meet you." She said enthusiastically.

"It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Cullen." I replied shyly.

"Oh please, call me Esme, dear." She insisted, smiling at me.

I was aiming for a simple handshake, but she wasn't having that, and she immediately surprised me by giving me a short hug.

"Right, Esme." I said, letting out a small laugh when she released me.

Doctor Cullen paused his conversation with Charlie for a moment, and Esme took her chance to also greet Charlie with a hug while her husband turned to me to firmly shake my hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Bella." He told me sincerely.

"The pleasure's all mine, Dr. Cullen." I responded, smiling at him.

"Just say Carlisle, please. Dr. Cullen is way too formal." He said, winking at me.

I felt how Edward came to stand beside me, and he lightly placed a hand on the small of my back, as if he was trying to take away some of my nerves.

"Well, let's go to the dining room, shall we?" Esme proposed, smiling warmly at all of us.

We all followed her, and unsurprisingly, the dining room was as fancy as the rest of the house. There was a large, round table in the middle, and to my surprise Edward held out a chair for me. I sat down and he smiled crookedly at me, before sitting down next to me. Charlie sat down on my other side, and Carlisle took his place next to Charlie. Esme announced that she was getting us some drinks, and soon she returned with a tray of colorful looking glasses, explaining that she had made some sort of experimental non-alcoholic fruit cocktails for the occasion.

I saw that Edward made a face, and I soon found out that Esme had also noticed his expression.

"Don't give me that look, Edward. Some people find my fruit-cocktails very enjoyable." She scolded her son.

"Sorry mom, it's probably just me." He apologized, smirking at her.

I couldn't help but laugh, and Carlisle also seemed amused.

"I adore your fruit cocktails." He offered, smiling at Esme.

Charlie took a sip of his cocktail, and the fact that he didn't wrinkle his nose in disgust told me that he agreed with Carlisle. "Not bad at all!" He complimented Esme.

I tasted my own cocktail, coming to the conclusion that Edward was whining over nothing. "Nothing wrong with this cocktail." I said serenely, smiling at Esme before sticking my tongue out at Edward.

"Be that way." He muttered at me. "They've gotten better over time, but back when I was ten years old, those homemade cocktails were the bane of my existence." He threw in an adorable pout and I had to resist the urge to kiss it from his face.

After that, a lighthearted conversation flowed freely, and Edward was lovingly holding my hand the entire time. Esme was very curious to find out all about me, but her questions were the simple, regular ones, and for a moment I couldn't even recall why I had worried so much… Until she suddenly asked the fatal question, out of the blue.

"So where did you two meet, anyway?" She asked, expectantly glancing at Edward and I.

I bit my lip, hoping that Edward would take the lead now, seeing as lying wasn't one of my qualities.

"We met at Emmett's place, three weeks ago." Edward lied fluently. "Emmett is dating Bella's roommate, Rosalie."

"That's right. Our best friends are dating." I said lamely, adding my pathetic contribution.

Both Charlie and Carlisle nodded in understanding, not prying at all, but Esme directed a penetrating gaze at us, and although she didn't ask any further questions, it gave me an eerie feeling. I was relieved for a second when she let it go, telling us that she was going to finish dinner, but then she directly addressed me.

"Bella, would you like to help me?" She asked, friendly, but calculating.

I swallowed loudly before answering her. "S-sure." She was suspecting something, I just knew it.

Edward squeezed my hand under the table in encouragement, and I got up from my chair and followed Esme to the kitchen, my heart beating unevenly.

"Why don't you make the salad." She asked, closing the door behind us before handing me some dressing and other ingredients to make salad.

"Of course." I said weakly.

I started to work on the salad while Esme was stirring something in a saucepan, and it was quiet for a while, but I knew something was seething beneath the surface… I could sense it. And then she spoke, out of nowhere.

"You and Edward have been together for far longer than three short weeks." She wasn't even asking, she was stating.

_Uh oh, run and hide! Mayday, mayday, code red! Women and children first!_ I was sure that my face had turned as pale as a ghost by now, and I was feverishly scanning my brain for some excuses, but I came up with none.

"I… we… we are." I mumbled, dropping my knife and looking up at her, my expression probably horrorstruck.

_How did she know? _I braced myself, waiting for the reprimanding speech, but it never came.

"You're wondering how I know, am I right? The two of you are so comfortable around each other, and other than that, I've never seen my son this happy before… He has changed a lot since he met you, but the change didn't take place a month ago, it was at least two." She explained calmly in a tone that wasn't angry or accusing.

"Oh… " I mumbled, defeated. "I'm sorry for lying, but we… It's complicated."

"Oh, I think I can guess." Esme said. "I can put two and two together, Bella. You're an eighteen year old girl, living in Forks, surely you're attending Forks High, and a month ago, Edward was still teaching there."

I simply gaped at her, she was right on target. We were so busted. _Time for plan B! Wait, there was no plan B..._ "I'm sorry, I know it was wrong, Edward and I just..." Again I couldn't find the words, but Esme interrupted me before I could make an even bigger fool of myself.

She sighed. "Oh sweetie, the world isn't completely made out of right and wrong… There are in betweens. I can understand why you guys did it, and quite frankly, I think you both did very well, handling it as adults."

"So you don't have… a problem with me and Edward being together?" I asked cautiously.

She merely smiled. "No. I can see that he loves you very much, and that you return his feelings. You make him happy, and besides, the problem has already solved itself."

"Wow… Thank you…" I said softly.

"No, thank _you_. All a mother wants is to see her children happy, and you're making Edward happy."

She sounded genuinely thankful, and I didn't doubt for a second that she meant it. I already liked Edward's mother, a lot.

We talked some more as we continued to prepare the food, and the atmosphere had changed from tense to peaceful. I did ask her not to tell Charlie, and she swore that she would take it to the grave. When we walked back into the dining room, Carlisle, Charlie and Edward were having some discussion about baseball. To my relief Charlie wasn't looking tense anymore, and he was actually smiling as he talked to Edward, which probably meant that Edward's dazzling powers were working.

The rest of the evening flew by, and instead of the drama I had expected this night to be, I was having a great time. After a delicious dessert, Edward volunteered to do the dishes, and I offered to help him.

"Eager to get away from the old people?" Carlisle asked as we both got up from our chairs.

"You caught us, dad." Edward answered dryly, grinning wickedly and dragging me along to the kitchen.

We started working on the dishes, and Edward gave me his uneven smile as he mindlessly started to clean some plates.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" He asked, his green eyes light and untroubled.

"Nope, I've had a lot of fun." I assured him. "And even Charlie seems to enjoy himself."

"Yes. Your dad loves you very much, do you know that? When Carlisle went to the bathroom he sort of warned me to take good care of you." Edward informed me with a grin.

I groaned. "Oh god, how embarrassing, I'm sorry."

Edward dropped the plate he'd been cleaning and took me into his arms. "Don't be, you silly girl. He's only worried about his daughter, that's what fathers do."

"I guess…" I murmured as I automatically wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his shirt and contentedly inhaling his sweet scent.

"So, how did your talk with my mom go?" Edward said knowingly.

I shrugged. "She knows about our little secret."

"Yeah, I suspected as much after she'd asked us how we had met each other." Edward admitted. "Does she have any problems with it?"

"None at all, she's glad to see you happy. She's really sweet… Just like you." I whispered against his shirt.

He kissed the top of my head, and I lifted my head up to gaze into his pretty eyes.

"I've wanted to kiss you since the moment you made that cute pout during the cocktail-conversation." I hinted.

He chuckled, but complied, lowering his head to help me out. I closed the remaining distance between our lips, and crushed my lips against his. Our lips moved urgently and he didn't waste any time deepening the kiss. I faintly tasted some chocolate from the dessert, and I moaned in pleasure. His hands were roaming my back and my arms were tightly wrapped around his neck. We broke free after a long moment of kissing, and he gently stroked my cheek with the back of his hand before he focused on the dishes again.

"Will you come over later, after you've dropped off your father?" Edward asked hopefully.

"Count on it, can I stay over and sleep in your arms?" I purred, mockingly batting my eyelashes at him.

He smiled radiantly at me. "Yes, please."

xxx

Around eleven, Charlie and I left the Cullen house, and I felt satisfied when I noted that my stubborn dad was in a fairly better mood than he'd been on the way there.

"That wasn't a complete disaster, right?" I asked tentatively while we were driving through the dark forest, on our way back to the main road that led to the town-centre of Forks.

"No, not really. It was a nice evening." Charlie admitted.

"It was… So, what do you think of Edward?" I pried when he didn't say anything else.

Charlie sighed deeply and was silent for a few seconds. "He… is a decent young man." He finally answered, some reluctance seeping through his voice.

A smug smile crept up my face, and I sneaked a look at Charlie. He caught me and rolled his eyes at me, but there was some humor in his eyes.

"That's all I wanted to hear." I said, teasing him a little because he was clearly reluctant to admit that he'd been wrong.

"Yeah yeah, I admit it, you were right. From what I can tell, Edward's a good kid. It was just a bit of a shock for me, Bells, when you suddenly told me that you were seeing someone. I'm only concerned for you…"

"I know, dad, thanks for giving him a chance. And don't worry about me, no one will ever take better care of me than Edward." I promised solemnly.

"He'd better, otherwise I'll hunt him down." Charlie grumbled.

I turned my head an incredulously raised an eyebrow at him.

He snorted. "But I'm sure that won't be necessary."

I laughed with him and shook my head. "Just make sure to keep your gun out of Edward's vicinity."

* * *

_Thank you for reading! :D I promise I will update as soon as I can. I'm very busy this weekend so I'm guessing the last part will be up Monday, and that will officially be the end of 'All I Never Wanted'. :(_


	26. Epilogue

_Hey guys! :D_

_Thank you so much for leaving all those awesome reviews; _**Lil miss bella cullen, Mouse555, Lizzy, Thari, Greystorm, Heal my bleeding heart, JillWithTheVampiresx, Amber, Lizzie, Marijne, Cb, Becky, Alix-09, Heal This Heartbreak, Lisa, Rosaa, Gnomegirl13, Avery Shane, Kfeve11, LexiLeothegreat909, Jordan, AutumnOtts, Jm1708, Liz526, MissGCullen, RPattzmania, Sweettwilightvamps13, Bella'Swan'22, Uniqueuchenna, SuperK4141, Sprinter1, Texbratt67, Alide, HiddenInTheWords, Maren **_and _**Twilightluver39! **_You guys are so amazing! :D_

_**!IMPORTANT!**__ Because you guys are the best, I've made a special thank-you-video for all my reviewers, and I've posted it on YouTube! Link at the end of the epilogue! So make sure to check it out, I thought it would be nice to do something a little more personal than my usual, lame written word of thanks! ;)_

_And also; Thanks for the chocolate, Lizzie, thanks for the chocolates, Heal This Heartbreak, thanks for the mansion, LexiLeothegreat909, thanks for the cookies and cream bar, AutumnOtts, and thanks for the hunting-Charlie (xD), Bella'Swan'22!_

_To Thari: Lol yeah, I'm sure Emmett can cook. :p He can do anything, right? ;)_

_To Heal This Heartbreak: Haha, no, I have nothing against the Bad Romance song. ;) The crime against human hearing was referring to Rosalie's version, to point out the fact that Rose is a terrible singer. ;)_

_To Gnomegirl13: You're not a loser! The guys that don't want you are losers! _

_To SuperK4141: I'm sorry, but I won't do the story in Edward's point of view. For one thing because I suck at writing Edward's point of view, and also because it would be rather boring, seeing as everyone would already know how the story ends. ;)_

_To Alide: Hey leuk, nog een Nederlander! :D Bedankt voor het lezen, fijn dat je het leuk vond! :)_

_To everyone who asked about a __**sequel**__: I'm really sorry, but I'm afraid that there's a ninety-nine percent chance that it won't happen. It's truly flattering that you all like this story so much, and are sad to see it go, but I'm afraid a sequel isn't the solution, especially not in this case because the story is nicely wrapped up, etc. I'm sad to see the end of this story, too, just like you guys. But writing a sequel for the sake of making it longer isn't really my style. Hope you all understand! _

_To everyone who asked if I'm going to write a __**new story**__: Watch the thank-you-video at the end. ;)_

_So this is it… the last part. I'm really sad now… But alas, all good things come to an end. :( Have fun reading the epilogue, and make sure to watch the special thank-you-video that I made for you guys, because I can't thank you all enough!_

* * *

**Epilogue**

_Three months later…_

Thursday morning, around nine. My current location; Forks High. English class, to be exact. I wasn't very awake, yet. Nope, I still wasn't a morning person, some things never changed, not even over time. My thoughts were preoccupied with everything except English literature, and I was almost relieved when I felt my cell phone buzz, grateful for any kind of distraction. I fished the phone out of my pocket, but before I got a chance to actually look at the screen, an irritated voice called my name and I froze in my tracks.

"Miss Swan! It would be nice if you tried to pay some attention!" The teacher had paused his lecture to give me a warning, and he threw me a stern look.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Lewis. It won't happen again." I muttered, hiding my phone under the desk.

"I surely hope it won't." He barked, making me flinch.

He resumed his class, and I rolled my eyes at him once he wasn't looking at me anymore.

Mr. Lewis was bald, in his early fifties, and he dispersed a disgusting smell that would be best compared to a chain-smoking dog that had walked in the rain for several hours. He was no distraction whatsoever, and even though I didn't know for sure, I was one hundred percent positive that he would make an awful texting-buddy.

He was writing something on the blackboard, and I used the opportunity to sneak a look at my cell phone. Ah, nice, a text message from my boyfriend.

'_Do you have any plans for tonight? I hope not, I was sort of hoping I could pick you up at school after your last class, I have a surprise for you. Love, Edward.' _

I frowned in suspicion. A surprise? He knew how much I hated surprises, but he had stubbornly ignored that little fact for the past five months or so.

I sneaked another glance at Mr. Lewis who was still preoccupied with the blackboard, not giving his students a second look, and I quickly composed a message.

'_You know how I feel about surprises, Edward! But sure, you can pick me up any day.'_

I sent the text and pretended to pay attention for a while, until my phone buzzed again.

'_You'll love it, I promise. See you at four. I love you.'_

Butterflies were swirling around in my stomach. After all this time, he still never failed to make me weak in the knees by simply saying those three words. He loved me, and I'd never doubted his sincerity when it came to loving me, but regardless, it would always be beyond my grasp why on earth he wanted me of all people.

I subtly dropped my phone into my bag, this time really making an effort to listen to the explanation that Mr. Lewis was giving. Might as well try to be a good student during my last two weeks at Forks High, seeing as I was almost out of here… Time was moving unbelievably fast lately, only two weeks left until I would graduate, and I was very excited to start a new life after high school.

As it was, Edward and I were looking for a place in Seattle, and if we could manage to find something in time, the plan was that we would move there after the summer vacation. I would go to college there, and it would be easier for Edward to live closer to the office, since he was currently working on music for three different television shows and a movie. It was the perfect solution, and I was thrilled by the idea of spending even more time with him…

The rest of the day was moving very slow, seeing as I was dying to find out about Edward's surprise now. I half-ignored all the teachers who were rambling about the upcoming finals, instead racking my brain to find out what my godlike boyfriend had planned for this afternoon...

I had told Rose that I wouldn't be riding with her after school, so I was surprised to find her at the exit of the gym when I stumbled outside after my last class.

"Hey, I told you not to wait up." I greeted her in surprise.

Rose shrugged. "Just wanted to wish you a nice evening with Edward."

I suspiciously squinted my eyes at her. "Do you happen to know something about this surprise?"

Rosalie made her innocent face. "Maybe…"

"Tell me! You know I can't handle surprises!" I demanded, grabbing her shoulders and lightly shaking her.

"Nuh uh, no way, Edward will kill me." She replied, shaking her head. "Go find out for yourself."

"Right." I answered, realizing that he was probably waiting for me right now.

"Go find him, I'll see you later." Rose encouraged me, grinning.

I smiled widely in return. "See you, Rose. Thanks!"

I headed for the parking lot as fast as my clumsy feet allowed me, and there he was, casually leaning against the passenger door of his shiny Volvo, which he had parked somewhere in the middle of the parking area. It was one of those rare, sunny days in Forks, and the sun reflected on his shining, copper-colored hear. He looked breathtaking, and some of the female students were curiously stealing glances at him, but it appeared that none of them had the guts to actually go up to him and start a conversation.

As soon as he spotted me a huge smile broke across his flawless face, and I all but ran up to him, throwing myself into his strong arms. He instantly wrapped his arms tightly around me, and lightly planted a kiss in my hair.

"I'm happy to see you, too." His beautiful voice whispered.

My head snapped up and I blushed. "Sorry, that was a weird reaction, I mean I saw you less than twenty-four hours ago." I muttered.

"I don't mind. If you ask me, ten minutes away from you is already too much." He said sweetly.

This was one of the reasons I loved him so much. He never thought I was being silly or idiotic, for some unknown reason, he loved all my stupidities. I hugged myself closer to him, and rested my head against his chest for a moment. His hands were gently stroking my back as I briefly leaned against him, content to be in his arms again.

That was when I spotted them from the corner of my eye; Lauren and Jessica, their faces five different shades of green as they eyed us with disdainful glares. And all I could do was smile. Smile because I knew that it didn't matter anymore. Edward had left Forks High months ago, and there was no way that they could prove anything at this point. We were free to do whatever we wanted to do, and no one could keep us apart.

"Can I have a kiss?" He asked softly, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I looked up at him, beaming, and he lowered his head and lovingly touched his lips to mine. My lips started to move on their own accord, moving perfectly in sync with his, and my heart sped up with joy. He broke free and I noticed that both Lauren and Jessica were shooting us looks of pure disgust, but I quickly turned my attention back to Edward, wisely ignoring their wrath. In less than three weeks I would never have to see those shallow bimbos again.

"So, ready for the surprise?" Edward asked, smirking at me.

"I hate surprises." I reminded him.

"I know sweetheart, but you're going to _love_ this one." He assured me once again.

"Let's go then." I pressed. "The sooner we'll go, the sooner I'll find out."

"Always so patient." He teased me, but he complied, opening the passenger door for me and helping me in.

My eyes followed his every movement as he walked around the car and got in. He started the car, the engine of the Volvo purring to life, and he carefully backed out of the small parking space.

"Can't you give me a hint?" I tried, once we were driving away from Forks High.

"No." He responded without thinking.

I pouted at him, but he merely rolled his eyes.

"You know what, I'll give you _one_ hint." He gave in after a few minutes. "Today is a very special day for us, that's one of the reasons that I wanted to surprise you."

I knitted my eyebrows in concentration, and stared at him. What was he talking about? What was so special about today? It was an ordinary day, just like all the others.

"Quite frankly, I should be a little hurt that you don't remember, but I suppose you're very busy with finals and such." He teased me when I remained silent for some time.

"I honestly don't know." I admitted.

"You'll see soon enough." He said, winking at me.

We were driving for about forty minutes, when I saw the sign that said _'Welcome to Port Angeles'_.

"We're going to visit Alice and Jasper?" I guessed, excited.

Edward's lips nearly turned up into a smile, but he straightened his face before answering my question. "Sort of."

"Sort of?" I probed.

"Patience, love." He said, amusement in his tone.

Edward drove through the streets of Port Angeles for about five minutes, but when he parked the car, it wasn't in front of Alice's store. On the contrary; it was a deserted, unpaved parking space next to the beach, away from the touristic area.

I glanced at him in wonder, but he simply shook his head as he got out of the car. He opened the door for me and helped me out, smiling serenely at me. I gave up on pulling the answer out of him, and waited patiently for him to bring on the surprise.

He took my hand, and led me out of the parking space, around a large dune, onto a secluded part of the beach. That's when I saw an excited Alice, and I also spotted the reason why she was here... A blanket was spread out on the sand, a large basket in the middle, and the scene was completely surrounded by candles and various kinds of flowers. It was one of the most romantic things that I'd ever seen, and that was saying something, seeing as my boyfriend was none other than Edward Cullen.

I gaped at Alice, and then at Edward.

"Do you like it?" Alice asked, not giving me a chance to answer as she rambled on without taking a breath. "Edward asked me to set this up, since he wanted to pick you up himself." She winked at me.

"Wow, Alice, this is… so beautiful." I said in awe.

Edward was smiling at me, watching me closely. "That's not the real surprise, love, this is a nice bonus. Will you have dinner with me?" He asked, gesturing to the blanket.

"Yes, of course!"

Alice snorted. "I think this is my cue to leave. Have fun, you guys."

"Thanks sis, I owe you." Edward told her.

"Hardly." Alice chirped, winking at him.

We said goodbye to Alice, and Edward and I both sat down on the dark-red blanket. We were sitting so close that our sides were touching, and I rested my head against his shoulder as I gazed at the waves which were wildly crashing down onto the shore, the dark water shimmering from the reflection of the sun. He opened the basket, and I saw all different kinds of delicious looking Italian food. That would be Alice's doing, only the best, of course.

"So… what brought this on?" I asked, no longer able to keep in my curiosity.

"You honestly don't know?" Edward checked one more time.

"No…" I mumbled, slowly starting to feel a bit guilty.

He smiled smugly at me. "Normally, _men_ are supposed to forget about things like this, not women. It's our six month anniversary today, love." He announced.

I stared at him in shock. "Oh god, that's today? I am so, so sorry! How could I forget about that?" I blurted out.

"It's fine, Bella. You're very busy, school is important." He said, smiling at me, and reaching out his hand to lightly stroke my face, comforting me.

"You're equally busy, but you clearly didn't forget. I'm so sorry." I whispered, ashamed.

"Don't worry please, sweetheart. Actually I'm glad you didn't remember, it makes the surprise all that more unexpected, don't you agree?"

"I suppose…" I muttered. "Thank you, Edward. This is amazing… _You_ are amazing… I don't even know what to say… I love you."

"As I love you, my Bella." He replied, leaning in and kissing my forehead.

I snuggled impossibly closer to him, and he smiled down at me when I lifted my head to look at his face.

"Now, are you ready for the _real_ surprise?" He asked nonchalantly.

"What? More surprises?"

"Yes… It's our anniversary, so I think it's only appropriate if there's an anniversary gift included." He began in an official tone.

"Nothing expensive, right?" I warned him.

He didn't speak for a moment. "I'm afraid I can't promise that." He said dryly, as he started to search his pocket for something.

"I don't want you to spend a lot of money on me, you know that." I complained.

He ignored my protest as he pulled out a little black box, and handed it to me. "Open it, love."

I sighed, but did as I was told, knowing that it was no use to try and escape his ridiculously over-expensive presents. I lifted up the lid, and my heart stopped for a second as I observed that the box contained a shiny, silver key.

I gazed up at him questioningly. "What's this, Edward?"

He smiled cautiously. "This is the key to the apartment in Seattle that I bought for us, two days ago. I wanted to wait until this special day to tell you." He explained quietly.

"What! You're kidding, right?" I exclaimed in disbelief.

"No I'm not, love. I hope you'll like it, we can go and take a look after dinner."

"But Edward… You said bought, not rented… I've barely got enough money to pay for college, I can't pay for an apartment!" I said, panicked.

Edward dismissively rolled his eyes. "I can. Don't be difficult, please."

"It's too much…" I whispered.

Edward took my face in both his hands, earnestly gazing into my eyes, unleashing the hypnotic powers of those emerald eyes on me. "If you truly want to make me happy, you'll accept. The biggest and most valuable present you could ever give me, is staying with me forever. All I want is to be with you, Bella, the money doesn't mean anything. Please…" He tried to reason with me.

"But Edward…" I started another round of protest.

"Please, love." He begged again, cutting me off.

I bit my lip and stared into those eyes for an immeasurable moment, before letting out a deep sigh of defeat.

"It's still too much… But I want nothing more than to live with you." I muttered quietly.

His face brightened in an instant. "Is that a yes?"

I laughed nervously and nodded. "Yes!"

"Yes!" He repeated, triumphant, laughing with me.

I nearly attacked him, flinging myself into his arms, and he crashed down into the mushy sand, with me on top of him. I closed the distance between our faces, crushing my lips to his, and he hungrily kissed me back. He continued to do so for a while, until he gently pushed me back a little.

"The food is getting cold." He stated, smirking at me.

"Who cares about the food, I'll just have you for dinner, Mr. Cullen." I said playfully.

"I'm not sure if I'm that edible, Future Mrs. Cullen." He responded, copying my playful tone.

My heart did a few frantic flips at the sound of that, and I could feel how my cheeks were turning bright red.

"Sorry, perhaps that was a little too straightforward." Edward apologized when he observed my flustered look.

"Are you kidding, say it again." I whispered.

He smiled smugly. "Future Mrs. Cullen." He purred.

I flushed an even deeper shade of red, and he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me closer to him again. His soft, irresistible lips started to move against my jaw, and I involuntarily let out a soft moan at the pleasant feeling he created.

"Future Mrs. Edward Cullen." He whispered against my skin, before moving up to that sensitive spot right under my ear. "It all sounds good." He breathed in my ear, his breath caressing my earlobe.

"Yes… it… does." I stuttered, my own breathing erratic.

He gently kissed the spot under my ear, and moved his attention back to my lips, giving me a sweet kiss, filled with love.

"Promise me you'll never leave me." He suddenly whispered against my lips.

"Silly Edward. I'll always stay with you, forever." I swore solemnly, knowing that he had meant it when he'd said that it was the biggest gift I could ever give him. And that was all I ever wanted; making him as happy as he was making me.

He brushed his smiling lips against mine one more time. "Thank you, forever sounds perfect, my beautiful Bella…"

* * *

_Inside-out, upside-down, twisting beside myself  
Stop that now, 'cause you and I were never meant to meet  
I think you'd better leave, it's not safe in here  
I feel a weakness coming on_

_Alright then, I could keep your number for a rainy day  
That's where this ends, no mistakes, no misbehaving  
I was doing so well, could we just be friends  
I feel a weakness coming on_

_It's not meant to be like this, not what I planned at all  
I don't want to feel like this  
It was not meant to be like this, not what I planned at all  
I don't want to feel like this, so that makes it all your fault_

_Inside-out, upside-down, twisting beside myself  
Stop that now, you're as close as it gets without touching me  
Oh now don't make it harder, than it already is  
And I feel a weakness coming on_

_It's not meant to be like this, not what I planned at all  
I don't want to feel like this  
It was not meant to be like this, not what I planned at all  
I don't want to feel like this, so that makes it all your fault_

_Big trouble, losing control  
Primary resistance at a critical low  
On the, on the double, got to get a hold  
Point of no return, one second to go_

_No response on any level, red alert, this vessel's under siege  
Total overload, all systems down, they've got control  
There's no way out, we are surrounded  
Give in, give in, and relish every minute of it_

_Freeze, awake here forever, I feel a weakness coming on_

_It's not meant to be like this, not what I planned at all  
I don't want to feel like this  
It was not meant to be like this, it's just what I don't need  
I don't want to feel like this, so that makes it all your fault_

'_**The Walk' lyrics by Imogen Heap, from the album 'Speak For Yourself'. **_

* * *

_This is it! Thank you so much for sticking with me through the entire story, and if you've read this story and enjoyed it, let me know. ;) _

_Sooo, I made a little video to personally thank all my awesome reviewers. Please note that my English isn't perfect. I write in English, I think in English, I dream in English, but I hardly ever speak it, seeing as I still live in the Netherlands. xD But I'm sure everyone can keep up! ;) Oh, and there's something wrong with the sound, stupid YouTube. =_= Well just ignore it, you get the idea. _

_**Link to the Thank-You-Video:**__ www(dot)youtube(dot)com/watch?v=jcA1gcQMwg0_

_Take care everyone! You guys are the best!_

_See you at another story! :)_

_Xxx Shirley_


	27. Edwards PoV Chapter One

_Hey everyone! :)_

_I hear you guys think: Oh god, it's her again, does she EVER shut up. :p_

_I was truly overwhelmed by all the amazing reactions that I've received after the epilogue, and I've already thanked most of you in a private message, but just in case I forgot someone: Thank you! I'm glad everyone liked the ending. :)_

_So I've got one last little present for you guys…_

_You might have guessed it, it's chapter one, in Edward's point of view. I wrote this quite some time ago, and this is the only version that didn't end up in my digital trashcan. It's also the only thing that I've written in Epov that I've actually saved for longer than a day. I still don't like it, at all, because like I said before, I suck at Edward's point of view, that's why I never use it. But seeing as a lot of you asked for his pov, and also because I didn't want to deny you all the chance to look inside my Mr. Cullen's head, I'm uploading it anyway. Enjoy! Because you guys rock my world!_

_Take care!_

_Xxx Shirley_

* * *

**Meeting Miss Swan (First chapter from Edward's pov)**

Monday morning, officially my first day as a teacher at Forks High. Actually it felt a little weird, I had complicated the lives of my own teachers here, less than eight years ago, and now _I_ would be the one teaching. I was already silently praying that I wouldn't come across a student with an attitude that resembled my own attitude when I had still been in high school.

I was sitting in an uncomfortable, unstable chair across from a closed office door. I absentmindedly stared at the old wooden door, while I was nervously tapping my feet. There was a small sign on the door that said 'Principal Greene'. I grinned involuntarily at the thought that some things would never change; he had been principal back when I was still a student here, and chances were that this guy was going to stay here until the day he died.

After a while the door flew open without a warning, and is startled me, causing me to sit up straight in a reflex.

"Ah, Mr. Cullen, welcome!" Principal Greene greeted me in a rather brisk tone.

It made me wonder if he still remembered that little accident with his car and the orange paint… I figured he would, after all it was only eight years ago. It was a good thing that he'd been busy on the day of my job interview, and that Mr. Mason had taken his place, otherwise I would've never been hired to begin with. Mr. Greene looked sort of worn out, and I guessed that it meant that years of misbehaving students were finally taking its toll on him.

"Mr. Greene." I replied politely, nodding at him.

We shook hands and he briefly looked me up and down. _Yes Mr. Greene, I'm not a seventeen year old anymore, it so happens that time doesn't stand still. Also, I'm not hiding a bucket of orange paint in my briefcase. _

"I assume Mrs. Cope has provided you with your schedule and the lists with names of your students?" He asked.

Again I nodded. "Yes, Mr. Greene, I think I've got all the information I need."

"Right." He grumbled. "Good luck then, you're going to need it, this school has several very challenging students. Then again, who would know better than you?"

_Ouch, he did remember. Try to stay cool… _"I like a challenge, Mr. Greene." I answered dryly, at the same time trying to keep a straight face.

He nodded curtly. "Very well. I'll show you to your classroom and shortly introduce you to your first class."

I kept up the polite-act. "That would be great."

Mr. Greene led the way through the school's empty hallways, and I noticed that not much had changed since I'd left for college. I didn't have any trouble keeping up with his swift pace, and I almost bumped into him when he came to a sudden stop.

He opened the door in front of us without saying a word, and stepped inside. I vaguely heard how he shortly informed the students about Mr. Ryan's health problems, and then he briefly introduced me. I wasn't a mind reader, but you could almost hear their minds screaming: _Ha! A new one! Let's see how long this one's going to last!_

"They're all yours." Mr. Greene said darkly as he walked past me, out of the classroom.

"Thank you for the introduction, Principal Greene." I responded in a friendly tone as I walked into the room, deliberately ignoring the fact that he was most likely thinking about how fun it would be if I ran away screaming after only one day of teaching… Oh the irony, it would serve me right.

I wouldn't hold my breath if I were him though, because I wasn't going to let a group of eighteen-years-olds bring me down, no way. I walked further into the room, trying for a confident manner, and dropped the papers that Mrs. Cope had handed me earlier on the big desk in front of the room.

I quickly glanced around the room and came to the conclusion that there were a lot of female students in this class. Female students who were ogling me as if I were a shiny new toy, to be exact. _Wonderful, not this again._

I ignored them and walked around the desk, leaning against the edge, going for a casual stance.

"Alright class, seeing as this is my first day, I think it would be a good idea if we get to know each other a little better first." I started, satisfied when the words came out clear and steady.

My eyes automatically wandered over the sea of students. Almost all the females in the room were sitting on the very edges of their chairs, stretching their necks in order to take a better look at me. Shallow people. A girl in the front, with light brown hair and too much make up smeared on her face, was wildly batting her eyelashes at me. _Aargh, someone kill me now. _I quickly avoided her flirtatious gaze, moving my own gaze away, and that's when I suddenly spotted _her_.

My heart was violently pounding against my chest, as I laid eyes on the most perfect creature I'd ever seen in my twenty-five years of roaming the earth. The girl was sitting somewhere in the middle of the classroom, and she was looking at me, like most other girls, but not truly staring. Her hair was dark brown, with a hint of mahogany, and she had the warmest, most deep brown eyes I'd ever seen. Her skin was pale, but a faint blush colored her cheeks.

No! What was I thinking. She wasn't beautiful… she was my student! I snapped out of it as I realized what I'd just been thinking and how wrong it was. I was here to teach English, not to stare at a beautiful girl. I reluctantly turned away from her, and tried to keep my eyes anywhere but on her. No need to give my mind the opportunity to think all sorts of very disturbing thoughts.

"Maybe we can do a quick round of introductions. When it's your turn, just tell me your name, age, some basic information... I'll go first." I told the class, systematically glancing around without actually looking at the girl.

All the females were leaning in even more, hanging on my every word. Getting them to pay attention wasn't going to be a problem at all, that was for sure.

"Alright, my name is Edward Cullen, I'm twenty-five years old and I've lived in the small town of Forks for the biggest part of my life, until I left this place to go to the university of Washington. After I graduated I moved back to Forks, in order to try and find a job here, and live a bit closer to my friends and relatives who are still living here." I gave them a short version of my life-story. Leaving out the orange paint, obviously.

Some girls were exchanging suggestive looks and whispering at each other.

"And it seems I succeeded in finding that job." I added lamely, not sure what else to say. "Are there any questions?"

The girl with too much make up raised her hand. Surprise, surprise.

"Yes?" I said, nodding at her, keeping my tone as professional as possible.

"Do you have a girlfriend, Mr. Cullen?" She asked in a rather nasal voice.

Was she for real? She was hitting on a teacher in the middle of class, not even trying to hide it! Maybe times had changed, after all.

"Well, that's a very personal question, don't you think?" I said sternly, hoping to scare her off.

"Perhaps…" She replied in an even higher voice. "But I don't mind if you want to ask me some _very_ personal questions in return."

Unbelievable. This girl was disgusting, to say the least. "This is hardly appropriate Miss…" I trailed off, remembering that I didn't know her name yet.

"Mallory, Mr. Cullen." She said in a too sweet voice. This had to be her version of being seductive; it wasn't working in the slightest.

"Right, let's end this conversation, Miss Mallory." I said dismissively, before resuming the round of introductions. "Okay, we'll start in the front on the left, when it's you turn, tell some things about yourself." I explained, before gesturing to the boy who was sitting in the first row on the left end.

He started to introduce himself, and apparently his name was Tyler, but I had a hard time keeping up with the rest of his rambling. Every now and then my eyes were wandering without my permission, to stare at the beautiful girl in the middle of the room. She looked a bit out of it, as if she wasn't feeling well… She looked nearly hypnotized, or something along those lines, and I was wondering what she was thinking. What was wrong with her? She didn't look like she was suffering from a regular lack of sleep, she looked completely dazzled for some unknown reason that I was dying to find out about.

I only heard half of the introductions, but I was ridiculously interested once it was time for the beautiful brown-haired girl to tell something about herself. _No, this is wrong, Cullen! You can't like her! _She still looked a little dazed, and I tried to draw her attention to the fact that it was her turn to speak.

"Young lady with the long, brown hair, you're next." I addressed her.

She gaped at me as I spoke to her, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of pink, making her skin look even more appealing. My heart sped up again. What was I thinking? She seemed at a loss of words, and so I encouraged her.

"Just tell something about yourself." I gave her a smile, hoping to put her at ease.

What was going on with her? She looked far too intelligent to be tongue-tied like this.

"I- I'm Isabella Swan, though most people call me… Bella. I'm eighteen, my parents are divorced and I used to live with my dad here in Forks, but right now I'm living with Rose… We're sharing her apartment." She was stumbling over her own words as she pointed at her friend who was sitting next to her.

Isabella… beautiful. Of course. Fate was playing some cruel joke on me.

"Really? Isabella? That's a beautiful name…" The words were out of my mouth before I could stop myself. I even think I gave her another smile.

"Yeah… I suppose." She mumbled, blushing again.

At this point I was fighting to keep myself from bluntly asking her what was wrong with her, but I knew I had to move on, and I unwillingly addressed the blonde girl next to her.

I was relieved when the round of introductions was over, and I swiftly started class. I had big trouble keeping my eyes away from her, but I managed for a while. Needless to say, I lost the fight at some point, and I couldn't resist waking her up by calling on her.

She didn't even notice that I was asking her a question, not until her friend Rosalie unsubtly poked her and startled her out of her daydreaming.

"Miss Swan, I believe I asked you a question, would you mind paying attention?" I asked firmly, staring intently at her, hoping to lift some of the answers to my burning questions straight out of those gorgeous brown eyes.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cullen." She muttered, and as if on cue, there was that blush again.

Something had to be wrong with this girl, and as her teacher, it was my job to find out why she wasn't paying attention, right? Right? _Yeah right, Cullen, who are you trying to fool? You're doing this for yourself, and it's disgusting! She's your student!_

My conscience lost the battle. "I'm sure you are… I want to have a little talk with you after class."

I saw her incredulous scowl as she raised her eyebrows at me in frustration, but I quickly resumed class, firing the question at another student.

I tried to avoid her until the bell rang, all the while thinking how I was going to broach the subject of her not paying attention without seeming nosy or inappropriate, after class.

Class finally ended, and I watched how the students were slowly making their way to the exit of the classroom, while Isabella stayed behind, silently sitting at her desk as she tentatively gathered her stuff. I pretended to be busy with some paperwork, and once the room was empty except for the two of us, she hesitantly got up and walked over to my desk. I didn't want to scare her any more than necessary, and I looked up at her, flashing her a smile that I hoped was reassuring.

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Cullen?" She blurted out, again she seemed to have trouble forming a coherent sentence.

"Yes… Just wanted to ask you if you are feeling alright, Miss Swan, you were looking a little out of it during class. And more so than the regular student with a lack of sleep." I expressed my concern, never taking my eyes away from the beautiful girl that was Isabella Swan.

She remained silent for a while; surely she was thinking that I was being an annoying, nosy idiot. I tried again, subtly prying.

"Look, I'm not asking you to share your life story, I was just wondering if you have any problems that you want me to take into account… Mr. Ryan didn't leave a note about you, but if something is wrong, medical problems or difficulties with concentrating, or something like that, just let me know, and maybe I can help you." That sounded like an acceptable excuse to me, very teacher-like. In the end it was still my job to make sure that she didn't fail this subject.

Again she stayed silent, staring at me with those wide, brown eyes. Finally she spoke, once again stuttering.

"I- I'm fine, really. No problems… Just suffering from a major headache, I'm not usually like this… And I apologize for not paying attention." She told me, giving me a look that was somewhat pleading, as if she was begging me to let it go.

I didn't believe the headache-excuse for a second, but she kept silently pleading with me, and so I let it go. Her personal life was none of my business in the first place… But somehow I felt this unbelievably strong urge to help her out, comfort her, make her feel better... Perhaps I should be worrying about what was wrong with _me_, instead of what was wrong with her…

Without planning to do so, I gave her another smile. "Oh, in that case, feel better, Isabella. And I'm counting on you to pay attention tomorrow." I said nonchalantly, letting her off the hook.

I got a tiny smile in return. "Thank you. I will, I promise." She said.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Swan." I responded, letting her know that it was okay for her to leave now.

"Yes… see you, Mr. Cullen." She all but whispered, locking her arms tighter around the school books that she was carrying.

I stared after her, mesmerized as she hastily headed for the exit and left the room, shutting the door behind her.

I wanted to slap myself. What the hell was going on with me? I hadn't expected this job to be easy, but this was an extra complication that I hadn't counted on. The feelings that I already seemed to have developed for this girl within less than an hour, weren't healthy or normal, and I knew one thing for sure:_ Isabella Swan was going to be the death of me_.


	28. Author's Note

_Hey guys! :) _

_Wow, it's great to hear that all of you appreciated the part in Edward's POV, even though I thought it wasn't really my best work. xD _

_Anyway, a lot of you asked if there will be more in his point of view, and I emailed some of you, but a lot of you didn't leave a signed-in review, yada yada… So, I might as well officially tell all of you that it isn't going to happen, I'm sorry. This was merely an outtake that I wrote just for fun, and shared with you guys as a small present, but I have no intentions whatsoever to write the entire story in Edward's POV. Sorry if anyone is disappointed._

_But… if it's any consolation (and here comes the more cheery part of the announcement), I started writing again, and I'm working on a __**new story**__. I wasn't really sure about this story, because again it's not very original, but the best way to cure a writer's block is to keep writing. I deliberated for a while at first, but at some point I started typing, and suddenly, the prologue was already born. xD Maybe if I just keep going, someday I'll be rewarded with some awesome idea popping up in my head. xD For now I'm going to occupy myself with this silly story, and I'll upload the first chapter as soon as I'm sure that I like where it is going. _

_Meanwhile, if you want, you can check out how the writing is going, because I'm going to keep you guys informed on my journal:_

_http://love-it-away(dot)livejournal(dot)com_

_You'll also find some more details on the story there, or you can look it up on my profile. If you still have any questions regarding the story, or if you simply want to strangle me because I'm not going to continue Edward's point of view, feel free to bother me. ;)_

_Take care!_

_x Shirley_


End file.
